Nationwide — Army Second Lieutenant Caron Nazario was reportedly held at gunpoint and pepper-sprayed by police during a traffic stop in Windsor, Virginia last December. He has since filed a lawsuit against the officers.A body camera and cell phone video showed Nazario, who was wearing his uniform, inside his car while his hands were out of the window and repeatedly saying he didn’t commit any crime.
Two police officers can be seen in the video with their guns drawn, ordering him to get out. When Nazario said he is afraid to get out, one of the officers replied, “Yeah dude, you should be.”
Nazario continued asking why he was pulled over while his hands are up. But then one of the police officers pepper-sprayed him 4 times before ordering him to the ground and putting him in handcuffs.
The incident report cited Nazario was pulled over because he didn’t have a rear license plate. However, his car seemed to be new and a temporary dealer plate attached to the car’s window can actually be seen in the video.
The incident occurred on December 5 but the body camera video was released just recently. Nazario is suing the police officers for allegedly violating his Constitutional rights.
“What prompted him to file is the need to stop this conduct,” Attorney Jonathan Arthur, who is representing Nazario, told CBS. “The need to hold these two officers accountable and make sure they cannot do it again.”