Three Northwest Indiana residents have filed a lawsuit against the Lake County Sheriff’s and Winfield Police departments, alleging that officers violated multiple state and federal laws because of their race.
Airius Reed, Jasmine Hobbs and Larry Hobbs filed the lawsuit in Hammond’s U.S. District Court on Dec. 26. The incident occurred at about 10:30 p.m. July 14, 2024, according to the lawsuit documents.
The lawsuit accuses officers of unlawful search and seizure, excessive force, false arrest, false imprisonment, failure to intervene, violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and state laws against assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Reed, Jasmine Hobbs and Larry Hobbs request a trial by jury, according to lawsuit documents.
The three are asking for compensatory damages against the defendants for physical injuries and bodily harm, pain and suffering, emotional distress and psychological trauma, past and future medical expenses, loss of liberty, loss of dignity, interference with familial relationships, and other economic losses and out-of-pocket expenses.
They are also asking for punitive damages against the defendants and awards for attorneys’ fees, cost of suit and litigation expenses.
The lawsuit stems from a July 14, 2024 incident when Reed, a 31-year-old Merrillville resident, visited 33-year-old Jasmine Hobbs, his girlfriend, at her Crown Point home. Around 9:45 p.m., the Winfield Police Department received reports of shots fired in Jasmine Hobbs’ neighborhood.
Police were looking for a suspect who was described as a Black male, 5 feet 7 inches tall, stocky build, wearing a gray hoodie and white socks, according to the lawsuit. Reed is Black, but he is 6 feet 2 inches tall and has a slender build.
At about 10:30 p.m., Reed left Jasmine Hobbs’ home to get items from his car and realized he didn’t have his car keys. While outside, Officer Chad Stroup approached Reed, shined a flashlight at him and yelled, “Come here!”
Stroup didn’t say he was an officer, according to lawsuit documents. Officers later acknowledged Reed was “too tall” to be the suspect.
Reed believed he was about to be robbed, ran into the home and told Jasmine Hobbs of the incident, and she called 911 to report an attempted robbery. Jasmine Hobbs told dispatchers that her two children and his disabled father, 65-year-old Larry Hobbs, were in the home.
Winfield police requested assistance from the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, according to the lawsuit, reporting they had made contact with the shooter before he fled into the home. Sheriff’s department officers took positions around the perimeter of the residence, and police demanded Jasmine Hobbs leave the home with officers pointing guns at her, the suit alleges.
Lieutenant Bryan Zabrecky directed Reed to walk further from the home, while others told him to get on the ground. Zabrecky threatened to release tear gas and K-9 dogs if the occupants didn’t comply, according to documents.
While Reed was on the ground, Stroup grabbed his right arm, twisted it behind his back and handcuffed him while weapons were trained on Reed. The lawsuit alleges Stroup taunted Reed by calling him “homie” and questioned why he was at the residence.
Officer Paul Shane allegedly grabbed Larry Hobbs by the arm, pulled him from the doorway, threw him face-down on the ground and handcuffed him. Larry Hobbs informed police that he couldn’t stand without assistance because he has a disability.
No officer reports documented Larry Hobbs’ disability, according to the lawsuit.
Before Jasmine Hobbs was handcuffed and moved into a patrol car, she told officers that children were inside the home. The children remained in the home and hid while police searched without a warrant or consent.
Jasmine Hobbs was later allowed inside the home, where she proved Reed was with her during the time of the shooting. Officers kept Reed detained for about 20 minutes after learning this, according to documents.
Prosecutors did not file any charges against the trio.
Both children and all three adults still suffer from distress because of the incident, the lawsuit said.
Hakeem Muhammad, the attorney for Reed and the Hobbses, said in an email that this incident shows how U.S. police operate with the mindset that Black skin is probable cause.
“This lawsuit exposes the raw truth of what happened when an all-white police force, acting on a so-called ‘tip’ about one individual, used it as an excuse to terrorize an entire Black family,” Muhammad said. “They didn’t see citizens — they saw Black skin, and in their minds, that was enough to justify assaulting our elders, our children, our family members.”
