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Resident tells commission he filed federal civil‑rights lawsuit, alleges failing police response
Summary
A Fargo resident described an alleged failure by local police to respond to a carjacking/vehicle theft, said he filed a 42 U.S.C. § 1983 civil‑rights lawsuit naming the city and officers, and reported threats he believes followed the filing; the commission acknowledged his statement during public comment.
During public comment, a Fargo resident told the city commission he had experienced a serious criminal incident and alleged failures by the Fargo Police Department in the agency’s response and follow‑up.
The resident, who identified himself for the record, said he had been blocked in a parking lot, threatened with a carjacking and with death by multiple individuals. He said Fargo police failed to protect him, failed to record and timely process the theft report and that the case had sat unaddressed by the department for months. He said another agency recovered his stolen truck within about 10 hours after the report was forwarded to them.
The speaker said he had filed a federal civil‑rights lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 naming the city and four officers in both official and personal capacities and said he was seeking $300,000 per defendant. He also said he had experienced threats he attributed to retaliation after filing the suit; he said the matter had been escalated to the federal level and that summonses were being processed by a U.S. District Court.
Mayor Mahoney acknowledged the comment, thanked the speaker and noted the time limit for public comment. The commission did not respond substantively during the meeting; the allegation and the filing are matters of public record according to the speaker.
