Chris Combs of Troy, left, and Stephanie Locke of Clawson cross the street at Old Woodward and Maple in downtown Birmingham during a protest by gun enthusiasts in support of 18-year-old Sean Michael Combs of Troy on Monday, June 11, 2012. Combs was arrested in April in Birmingham while carrying a rifle. (David Guralnick / The Detroit News)


October 17, 2012 at 2:47 pm
Troy man, 18, sues over arrest for carrying rifle in Birmingham

By Mike Martindale
The Detroit News
17 Comments


Detroit — An 18-year-old Troy man has sued Birmingham and its police department in U.S. District Court, alleging his civil rights were violated when he was arrested in April while walking in the city's business district with a vintage rifle slung over his back.

Sean Combs was arrested when he failed to give police identification as officers requested, drawing a crowd of teenagers. He was tried and acquitted on charges of brandishing a firearm and disturbing the peace in July; a judge dismissed a charge of resisting and obstructing a police officer.

Police explained at a subsequent district court hearing that they were concerned about him carrying a weapon in a public place, that Combs appeared young for his age, and officers wanted to verify whether it was legal for him to be carrying the weapon.

Combs, who was accompanied by his girlfriend, responded he was exercising his Second Amendment right to bear arms.

Despite seeing his driver's license and confirming his age, police arrested Combs...

The lawsuit, which seeks in excess of $75,000 in damages, claims false arrest, false imprisonment and several violations of his civil rights in openly carrying the rifle. The lawsuit alleges Combs has been traumatized by the incident, and that it has damaged his reputation.

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From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20121017/METRO02/210170417