An Aurora, Colorado police officer who pointed a gun at a doctor’s head has been suspended, reports The Sentinel.
Aurora Police Chief Vanessa Wilson suspended Officer Justin Henderson for 40 hours without pay. Henderson will also be required to attend further de-escalation training.
The incident occurred in March during a confrontation between Henderson and Dr. P.J. Parmar. Parmar honked at Henderson, whose car was in his way, while entering his property. Henderson pointed his gun at Parmar while asking the doctor to prove that he owned the nearby building.
Parmar believed being Indian American contributed to the way he was treated, according to ABC 11.
“If I looked like the policeman’s brother, he wouldn’t point a gun at my head on my own property, or even ask twice when I say this is my property,” he wrote in a Medium article.
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Parmar says Henderson’s suspension is an inadequate punishment.
“It’s not enough,” he told The Sentinel. “That would never fly in the business world — I’ve terminated employees for less. The police pretty much have free rein to do whatever they want.”
His attorney, David Lane, says that they are planning to file a federal lawsuit against the city, alleging excessive force.
“That force may only be used if the officer is in reasonable fear for his or her life,” Lane said. “Dr. Parmar was merely loading boxes into his vehicle on his own property when an Aurora officer approached him with a drawn gun.”
The Aurora Police Department also came under fire recently due to the arrest and resulting death of Elijah McClain in August 2019.
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