ALEXANDRIA - A Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office officer was sued in federal court for allegedly racially profiling children.
The complaint was filed on April 16 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana by plaintiff Wesley Pigott, his Black 18-year-old daughter Mya Pigott and his Black 16-year-old son KP.
On April 17, 2020, Wesley Pigott went to pick up KP and his Latino friends after an evening of fishing. Mya Pigott was in the passenger seat.
The plaintiff says his daughter asked if they could drive past the Rapides Parish Detention Center, as she knew that her father frequently worked there.
According to the complaint, the Pigotts entered the center's parking lot, turned around and proceeded out of the parking lot. Officer Paul Gintz then followed the truck out of the parking lot and after several minutes Wesley Pigott stopped to confirm that he was being followed.
Pigott then alleges that Gintz, dressed in his law enforcement uniform, exited his unmarked truck without any identification or warning and drew his gun on Pigott. The plaintiff says that when the children in the truck bed pleaded to not have their father shot, Gintz then pointed the gun at them.
Gintz had the odor of alcohol on his breath, according to Pigott.
The defendant then made a call and a second deputy arrived, who patted Pigott down, searched his vehicle, then apologized to the Pigotts and told them they could leave, the suit says.
Gintz is charged with excessive force, unlawful seizure, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, assault and battery.
The Pigotts are represented by: the ACLU Foundation of Louisiana; the Law Office of Jennifer R. Louis-Jeune of New York; the Law Office of Anthony Cecutti of New York; and Quijano, Ennis and Sideris of New York.