A Tacoma man has brought a lawsuit against the city after a Tacoma Police officer ran him over during a street-racing event back in 2021. The disturbing incident, caught on video and widely disseminated on social media, has led to a contentious legal battle three years after the fact. Anthony Huff-McKay, who suffered severe injuries including broken ribs, a partially collapsed lung, and torn ligaments, is seeking damages for what his lawsuit describes as catastrophic bodily injuries.
In a news release, Huff-McKay's attorney, Austin Neff, argued the officer's actions were a result of inadequate police training and accountability. Neff highlighted, "This case is a stark reminder of the grave consequences of inadequate police training and accountability. It’s a situation where a public servant, sworn to protect, instead inflicted harm on those he was duty-bound to protect.” KING 5 reported.
The officer in question, Khanh Phan, who had been with the Tacoma Police Department for 30 years before his retirement in 2022, drove his patrol vehicle into a crowd while responding to reports of a street race. The Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney declined to press charges against Phan and declared the use of force justified. Nonetheless, the lawsuit alleges that his conduct was highly reckless, grossly negligent, legally unjustifiable and constituted both excessive and deadly force.
The scene of the incident, a congested intersection flooded with people, became a bedlam as Phan maneuvered his patrol car through the crowd. A victim from that night, Tavon Williams, recalled the traumatic moment to KING 5, saying, "I didn't see the police car, I didn't hear a police car, I was filming," and moments later found himself and another man on the ground with an SUV atop them. Williams condemned the officer's actions, stating, "I don't know what was he thinking at that point in time, but he wasn't being an officer."
According to The Seattle Times, Huff-McKay's lawsuit insists that the event and subsequent injuries have caused ongoing pain, emotional trauma, and a loss of enjoyment of life. Despite the contentious nature and the publicity surrounding the case, the city of Tacoma has refrained from commenting, citing the reason that it does not comment on pending litigation.
