ROCK ISLAND COUNTY, Ill. — The Rock Island County Sheriff's Department called a press conference in response to heavy media coverage of a lawsuit that two of their deputies were named in.
The lawsuit stems from an incident back in February of 2019 where a 19-year-old Eastern Illinois University student was detained at an Interstate 80 rest stop as police looked for the suspect in a shooting.
Student-athlete Jaylan Butler was traveling with his college swim team when the incident occurred.
The suit alleges the officers arrested Butler on false pretenses and used excessive force. The American Civil Liberties Union says Butler started seeing a therapist to address the trauma and depression he endured following the incident.
At the Rock Island County Sheriff's Department's press conference regarding the incident, Sheriff Gerry Bustos said the department was conducting a "thorough, fair and transparent investigation." He unveiled the reports, 911 audio and dashcam video from the incident.
Video shows that several other officers were on scene and in a recording of a 911 call during the investigation a caller reported seeing someone run across Interstate 80.
It was that call that prompted the deputies' response.
Sheriff Bustos said his deputies were on scene for a total of two minutes and six seconds before leaving. As the two left, audio captured one deputy asking the other, "was that him?" presumably asking if Butler was their suspect. The other deputy replied "No."
Sheriff Bustos said that the scene was confusing and the deputies at the scene didn't have the ability to communicate across the radio. He said they were working on a digital communication system that will improve communication between Quad Cities agencies to be launched in 2021.
Butler is suing officers from the Hampton Police Department, the East Moline Police Department, and the Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office for false arrest, excessive detention, and excessive use of force. Butler is represented by attorneys at the ACLU of Illinois and Sidley Austin LLP.
The case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois.