Nationwide — Jeffrey Sutton, an African American man from Bloomfield, New Jersey, is suing his local police department after being shot multiple times during a 2020 arrest attempt. He says officers lied about the incident, claiming he tried to run them over, though the video later showed otherwise.
In November 2020, Sutton was driving his Mercedes-Benz through downtown Bloomfield when unmarked police cars suddenly boxed him in. The officers, dressed in plain clothes, were responding to an alert labeling his vehicle as “felony-related.” Thinking he was being ambushed, Sutton panicked and reversed to escape.
According to The Jersey Vindicator, the lawsuit says Sutton’s passenger jumped out, and he stopped after recognizing one of the men as a police officer. He turned off the engine, raised his hands, and tried to show he was complying. But Captain Gary Peters allegedly pointed a gun at his head and shouted threats instead of de-escalating.
Sutton says he begged for his life, explaining he was unarmed. Two officers eventually holstered their weapons, but Peters remained hostile. Fearing for his safety, Sutton tried to back away again and accidentally hit another car. At that moment, Peters and another officer opened fire, striking him several times and badly injuring his arm.
News footage later showed Sutton was driving away from the officers, not toward them. Despite that, police reports falsely claimed he tried to ram them, leading to multiple charges. Most were dismissed once the videos surfaced, and Sutton pleaded guilty only to eluding police.
After spending more than three years in jail, Sutton filed a lawsuit accusing the officers of excessive force, false reporting, and racial bias. He argues that Bloomfield police have a long record of targeting Black and Latino residents, citing a Seton Hall study showing that the department used force disproportionately against minorities.
Now 42, Sutton continues to live with nerve damage and emotional trauma. He’s seeking damages and accountability for what happened. “I never did anything to law enforcement,” he said. “I cut the car off, and I said to myself, ‘I’m going to jail.’ But [Peters] wouldn’t allow it… He was saying he was going to blow my head off, and if I kept fidgeting, if I reach for the door handle, he’s going to shoot. I didn’t know what to do.”