Last week a former St. Louis police officer sued a Pontoon Beach police officer in federal court. According to the St. Louis Post Dispatch, the lawsuit alleges that Aaron Morgan, an officer with the Pontoon Beach Police Department used excessive force and thereby violated the civil rights of Officer Christopher Hantak.
Hantak alleges that he was at a bar on November 9, 2008 when he heard gun shots in the parking lot. He claims to have gone out to the parking lot with his St. Louis Police Department identification around his neck. Hantak claims that Officer Morgan approached Officer Hantak and began shooting. Mr. Hantak was hit with two bullets, one in the neck and one in the back. He alleges that he has suffered serious and permanent injuries to his face and chest.
Mr. Hantak was armed and intoxicated at the time of the incident. Yet, the question remains whether Officer Morgan used an appropriate level of force and whether a reasonable officer would have believed that he was in the immediate vicinity of imminent danger.
The problem of excessive police force is a serious one in Illinois and across the country. If you believe that you have been injured by a police officer’s excessive use of force then please contact an Illinois civil rights attorney today for an initial consultation.