ATF agent accuses Columbus police officers of excessive force

The Columbus Dispatch ^ | recently, no date given | BETHANY BRUNER

[farming pharmer]

An agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms has filed a federal lawsuit accusing two Columbus police officers of using excessive force against him while he was working in his official capacity.

Agent James Burk, a 16-year veteran of the ATF, said in the lawsuit he was working a "routine" assignment on July 7. That afternoon, he went to a home on the 3300 block of Edgebrook Drive near Dublin to retrieve a shotgun from someone who was not permitted to have a firearm.

[farming pharmer]

"When Fihe arrived at the scene, Agent Burk stood outside the home's front door and waved the officer over to where he was standing," the lawsuit said. "Even though Agent Burk had both hands raised and had represented that he is a federal agent, officer Fihe immediately drew his weapon and pointed it ... while simultaneously screaming at (Burk) to get on the ground."

The lawsuit said Burk told Fihe and Winchell, who arrived a short time later and also drew his gun while ordering Burk to the ground, that his credentials were in his pocket.

Fihe pointed his firearm at Burk for more than 90 seconds, according to the lawsuit, before both Fihe and Winchell "climbed on his back while violently twisting and pulling his arms to handcuff him."

The lawsuit said the officers also used a Taser on Burk multiple times while he was face down and "not evading arrest" before handcuffing Burk and placing him in the back of a cruiser, a process that involved pulling him into the car because a seatbelt was in the way.

After about an hour, during which Burk said he was denied water and "frequently disparaged ... to everyone in earshot" by Fihe, Burk was released without charges.

Oh, the irony...

[BradyLS]

Is this a “who’s toga has more purple” contest?

[Basket_of_Deplorables]

I love it! Screw F-Troop.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

They shouldn’t have treated him like that, even though he works for a dishonorable employer. Seriously, two wrongs don’t make a right.

[Veggie Todd]

Hey, City of Columbus, get your checkbook out.

[Secret Agent Man]

well

gets to feel like a regular citizen

doesnt feel to good mr batfe man

[CodeToad]

ATF, who burned children alive a Waco over $200 tax stamps talk about excessive force.

[Yogafist]

I’ll go out on a limb here, I think there is a lot more to this story.

[Impala64ssa]

WOAH!!! There seems to be much more to this. Agent Burk was busted in nearby Deerfield Twp for stealing over $200 worth of booze from a Kroger's.

[farming pharmer]

They shouldn't have treated him like that, even though he works for a dishonorable employer. Seriously, two wrongs don't make a right.

I agree with you but...

It seems as if the BATFE's only function is to deprive citizens of their constitutional rights, under color of law, at the direction of communist politicals. One only has to read about the P80 and pistol brace affairs and the seemingly arbitrary and conflicting diktats issued by the BATFE.

It's hard to feel sorry for the American version of the Geheime Staatspolizei.

[House Atreides]

This ATF agent feels entitled. I guess he has a “get out of jail free” card:

https://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/hamilton-county/delhi-township/james-burk-atf-agent-charged-with-stealing-wine-from-kroger

[Stingray51]

Do ATF agents typically perform assignments like this solo? Seems odd.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Five years ago.

[FroedrickVonFreepenstein]

[E Pluribus Bellum]

Gee, that’s a real shame. Cry me a river.

[lurk]

In light of Feds often lording it over local law enforcement, I’m looking around to find my sympathy card...

[Zhang Fei]

In the movies, undercover cops in civilian clothing are automatically recognized as such, just by the air of authority about them. This ATF agent seems to think these portrayals are reality rather than just a movie trope created so the camera can go straight from the hero cop’s gatling gun’s worth of ammo expenditure to a victory lap involving high fives without showing him first being processed like a suspect until his credentials are verified.

[Travis McGee]

Eff the ATF.

Every gun an American legally owns in 2020, he should keep until his last breath.

Any govt goon who comes to take them in 2021 or anytime in the future, should pay the price of any oath-breaking traitor Stasi thug.

[proxy_user]

They knew who he was all right, and did what they did on purpose. There must be bad blood between the Columbus PD and the ATF.

[Eagles6]

Caught my attentio, too.

Taking a firearm from a prohibited person could be dangerous, one would think.