Earlier today (Feb. 6), NBC News reported that the city of Aurora, Colorado provided a Black family with a $1.9 million settlement after a traumatic run-in with police in August 2020.

As previously reported by REVOLT, 29-year-old Brittney Gilliam was enjoying an outing with her 12-year-old sister, 6-year-old daughter, and two nieces, 17 and 14, when they were accosted by authorities in a nail salon parking lot. They were ordered to step out of their vehicle at gunpoint and two of the girls were subsequently handcuffed with their faces on the pavement. The 6-year-old was forced to put her hands above her head because the handcuffs were too big. Gilliam’s family was held for two hours until a sergeant arrived on the scene — all of this occurring as witnesses filmed the encounter.

During the post-incident investigation, the Aurora Police Department claimed that officers thought that Gilliam had stolen the car because it shared the license plate of a stolen motorcycle. It was later revealed that the motorcycle in question had plates from an entirely different state.

“Aurora cops need to spend less time on the gun range and more time in the law library,” said the family’s attorney, David Lane, in a statement shared by NBC News. “Our hope is that police officers all over the country learn that law enforcement needs to use common sense, especially when dealing with children. A robocop mentality will lead to huge liability.”

He continued, “We believe that inexcusable racial profiling was involved in this case as well. When the race of the occupants of a vehicle causes guns to be drawn, a line has been crossed which will result in huge consequences for the police.”

City spokesperson Michael Brannen commented, “The Aurora Police Department remains committed to strengthening the relationship with the community through accountability and continuously improving how it serves the public.”