Tyron McAlpin, Black deaf man beaten by Phoenix police, plans to sue city for $3.5M

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Tyron McAlpin, a Black deaf man with cerebral palsy who was repeatedly tased and punched by Phoenix police, plans to sue the city.

McAlpin is seeking $3.5 million.

McAlpin’s attorneys have reportedly filed a notice of claim against the city.  They will also be pursuing legal action against three Phoenix police officers for the Aug. 19, 2024 incident.

Tyron McAlpin plans to sue

Tyron McAlpin (Photo Source: Robbins Curtin Millea & Showalter Law)

Racial profiling is one of the main premises alleged against the Phoenix Police Department in the suit.

Phoenix police officers Benjamin Harris and Kyle Sue responded to a trespassing call. The white man they were asked to remove from the store claimed he had been attacked and pointed out McAlpin across the street.

Body cam footage

According to body cam footage, Harris told the 34-year-old McAlpin to stop and grabbed him within a few seconds. There was a struggle among the men, during which Harris used a stun gun on McAlpin four times. The officers collectively punched Alpin over a dozen times, video showed.

After the brutal beating, McAlpin’s attorneys claimed police officers filed false reports that alleged McAlpin had committed aggravated assault while another officer wrote McAlpin stole his own cell phone.

As a result, Alpin was in jail for three weeks and faced multiple charges that were ultimately dismissed by Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell.

When video footage of the incident was released at the Oct. 1 court hearing, public outrage and criticism from local leaders, civil rights and disability advocates reached national levels of attention.

The officers involved were placed on paid leave as the investigation continued.