Cop beating of Black Colorado Springs veteran investigated by Department of Justice

Justice Department prosecutors are investigating the beating of an unarmed homeless Black veteran during a traffic stop by three Colorado Springs cops, KKTV reported on Monday.

The victim, Dalvin Gadson, has filed a lawsuit that is ongoing against the police.

According to attorneys, police had pulled Gadson over for not properly displaying his tags. Officers then claimed to smell cannabis in the vehicle and ordered Gadson out for a sobriety test, which Gadson refused, claiming odor is not sufficient evidence for DUI.

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After Gadson did not exit his vehicle willingly, the suit said, officers tried to “force him out, punching him repeatedly in the head and face. The beating continued even after Gadson was out of the car with the officers punching and kicking him in the head and back.” One officer also says that she did not smell marijuana, but witnessed slurred speech.

Police have claimed that Gadson was carrying a knife in his vehicle and was physically resisting. However, the case shocked the nation last year, when graphic photos of the incident were released showing Gadson's bloodied face on the concrete and an officer that looked to be smiling over him.

Charges of DUI, obstructing a peace officer and resisting arrest were dropped after the arrest. The case was referred to the DOJ on Oct. 3,case 2023.

The case follows other high-profile instances of police brutality and force, from the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis to the beating death of Tyre Nichols in Memphis.