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CHICAGO (AP) — A new lawsuit alleges Chicago police pointed guns at a family and two children after bursting into the wrong apartment with a search warrant.
The Chicago Tribune reports the federal lawsuit was filed Wednesday by the children's father, Gilbert Mendez. It alleges false arrest and seeks an unspecified amount of damages.
The lawsuit says the actual subject of a drug investigation lived in another, upstairs apartment. The suit says that even after the error became clear, Mendez was kept in handcuffs. The suit says his 9- and 5-year-old sons were present when police barged in with guns.
Family lawyer Al Hofeld Jr. says Chicago police routinely use unnecessary force against or in the presence of young children, badly traumatizing them. He says pending police reforms should address and fix the problem.
The city's law department declined immediate comment.
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Information from: Chicago Tribune, http://www.chicagotribune.com
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