AURORA, Colo. — More than three years after police in this city were seen on video holding members of a Black family at gunpoint, the city and a mother have agreed to a $1.9 million settlement.
Attorney David Lane, who represents Brittney Gilliam, confirmed the settlement amount to 9NEWS on Monday.
In August 2020, a viral video showed police holding Gilliam and four children at gunpoint after they mistook her vehicle for being stolen. The video captured children screaming and crying as police forced them to get on the ground with hands on their heads.
The video prompted outrage in the wake of the murder of George Floyd and during a time when protests erupted across the country over police brutality and race relations.
Then-Chief of Police Vanessa Wilson apologized to Gilliam for the officer's reaction and announced changes in policy on how police respond to reports of stolen vehicles.
Through Lane, Gilliam filed a lawsuit against the City of Aurora and several officers alleging excessive force.
The lawsuit was the first of its kind filed in Colorado under a new police accountability law that allows excessive force claims to move forward in state court.
Attorney David Lane sent the following statement:
"Our hope is that police officers all over the country learn that law enforcement needs to use common sense, especially when dealing with children. A robocop mentality will lead to huge liability. We believe that inexcusable racial profiling was involved in this case as well. When the race of the occupants of a vehicle causes guns to be drawn, a line has been crossed which will result in huge consequences for the police. Hopefully, this settlement will lead to changes in how police departments handle situations like this in the future."
9NEWS reached out to the City of Aurora and the city’s police department for comment regarding the settlement.
"The Aurora Police Department remains committed to strengthening the relationship with the community through accountability and continuously improving how it serves the public," Matt Brown with the police department said.
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