WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — There is ongoing outrage about how the Winter Haven Police Department handled the arrest of Mariah Banks when officers pointed a gun at her and her child while they were face down on the ground.
Banks has hired an attorney and is seeking help from community activists for what they call a violation of her civil rights.
“We believe they committed assault when they did not have probable cause to point their firearm in the presence of a 3-year-old and unarmed mother,” said Carl Soto, Co-founder of Black Lives Matter Restoration Inc.
Banks said her daughter has suffered from PTSD since the March 4 incident.
“She has not been herself for the last week or two since this thing happened. Every time I turn around, it’s oh, are the police coming? She doesn’t even have to hear a siren,” said Banks.
The arrest of Banks and her child’s father, Godfrey Hercules II, happened when officers were called to Santiago's for a fight in the parking lot between Hercules and Santiago employee Jesus Crespo Perez.
Hercules was charged with affray and improper use of a firearm. Banks said surveillance video shows that Perez was the aggressor and pulled out a knife. The state attorney’s office has now charged Perez with affray.
Banks is suing Santiago's and demanding that the employee who initially called the police also be charged for reportedly providing false information.
She is also calling for the officers involved to be fired and has asked for the Department of Justice to investigate their actions, as well as Winter Haven Police Chief Vance Monroe.
“We’re going to ensure that there is accountability. If Chief Vance Monroe cannot lead this department with transparency and be impartial, then he has to go,” said Soto.
The police chief defends his officers' actions, but said the department is looking at ways to mitigate these kinds of situations.
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