Nationwide — Timothy Brown, a 46-year-old African American man from Brooklyn, New York, plans to sue the city of New York for $100 million after NYPD officers mistakenly identified him as a suspect and beat him inside a liquor store. He suffered serious injuries, and the incident went viral after bystander footage spread online.
Brown said he had just finished work when he stopped at a liquor store to buy a bottle of wine. Inside, two narcotics officers approached him and told him he was under arrest, saying he matched a suspect description involving green shorts tied to a drug investigation.
He said the situation escalated within moments. Brown said the officers began striking him repeatedly while a shopper recorded the incident. He said he had no idea what was happening and believed they had mistaken him for someone else. Brown later described the attack as traumatic and life-changing. He said he now feels fear whenever he sees police
“I was brutally beaten for no reason,” Brown told the New York Post. “What happened to me should never happen to anyone else — it was wrong, it was disgusting, my life will never be the same.”
He suffered multiple injuries from the encounter, including lasting damage to his leg that now requires him to use a cane. His left arm was placed in a sling, and doctors noted permanent scarring. The injuries also prevented him from returning to his job as a home-health aide.
His attorney, Derek Sells of The Cochran Firm, said the planned lawsuit seeks $100 million in damages. He said the case focuses on accountability and the harm done to Brown’s dignity during what he described as an unjustified use of force.
After the video went viral, city officials and NYPD leadership responded publicly. The mayor described the footage as disturbing and said an internal investigation was launched. The police commissioner also called the incident deeply troubling. Authorities later placed the detectives on modified duty, removed their firearms, and disbanded the narcotics team involved pending a 90-day review.
Brown’s mother, Donna, said the family did not receive any outreach from city officials after the incident. She described the aftermath as devastating for their family. The legal complaint also states the officers were not wearing body cameras, even though a bystander recorded the encounter.
His legal team, which includes former Civilian Complaint Review Board head Mina Malik, said both officers have prior substantiated misconduct complaints. They argue the case reflects broader concerns about accountability and repeated issues within the unit.