Police Brutality in Colorado Springs

Hello, My name Is Dalvin Gadson. Let me tell you my story, the truth, of how the Colorado Springs Police Department (Sand Creek Division) used grossly excessive force and sent me to the hospital during a simple traffic stop.

The first thing I want to say is I am not a criminal. I have never been convicted of any criminal acts, and there was no probable cause or reason of suspicion for the peace officers to use the force they used upon me. Next, I want to say that I am a Veteran. I served in the Army National Guard as a helicopter mechanic, and these peace officers had no idea they were assaulting a former soldier. I was wrongfully beaten and arrested for crimes I did not commit.

I made this Gofundme page to spread awareness about these peace officers' terrible acts towards me. I was hoping the community could help me raise funds for a criminal lawyer, and it would help with my current situation because I am now out of a job and still have to pay bills for rent and my car.

I will proceed with the story of how this traffic stop led to the nightmare that exists today.

It all started Sunday, October 9th, 2022, around 2:30 am. I have been homeless for about 3-4 months, just sleeping in my car doing Doordash until my money was saved enough to get an apartment. I was staying at the Springs Rescue Mission, a homeless shelter near downtown Colorado Springs.

While sleeping, a stranger (Carlos) knocked on my car window, and when I had awoken, he asked me if I could take him to his job close by for 20 dollars. I needed the money, so I said yes. While driving him to his destination, I was pulled over by the police.

I was startled when this happened because I never get pulled over. I tell the stranger (Carlos)

to relax and that the stop would be over soon. The police officer stepped outside his vehicle as I rolled down my window to say hey. When I spoke, he told me to place my hands outside the window, so I did. The officer walked towards the passenger side, his flashlight shining inside my car. He told me I had been pulled over because my license plate was missing. I told him I needed new screws to affix the plate to the trunk. At the time I had it inside of my car in the backseat. It was in the rear windshield area but it slid to the seat area without me knowing. He then asked Carlos and me for our identification. We complied with the officer and showed our identification cards with no hassle. After checking our credentials, 3 or 4 more squad cars came into the scene after 1 minute or so and 3 or 4 more officers walked to my car, this time coming to the driver's side.

Without hesitation, they immediately told me I had to take a marijuana D.U.I. test, without any probable cause or reasonable suspicion, and that I had to get out of my car and they would be detaining me in handcuffs. They told me to get out of my car. I asked them why I had to be detained with handcuffs and tested for a D.U.I.

An officer said that he wouldn't answer my question. He told me again to get out of my car to be detained in handcuffs for Investigation of a D.U.I.

While opening my door, I swung my legs out the car and asked if I could sit in the car.

They didn't tell me why I had to be detained in handcuffs for a D.U.I., so I was confused and wanted to know the reason why; they only continued telling me to get out of my car. I wasn't drinking or smoking while driving, and they didn't tell me of any driving infractions I did. I was frightened and only wanted an answer to what I did to be pulled over.

When I asked if I could sit in the car the cops said no and said again I was being detained for a D.U.I.

I was scared at this moment and accidentally said No I'm not. At that moment, one of the peace officers violently grabbed my hand, and my body's natural reaction was to pull my hand back. I did not think to do this. It was a natural reaction.

The same police officer immediately started punching me in the face while pulling me out of my car. After the first punch, I tried to say okay, I tried to say sorry, I tried to lay on the ground, but multiple officers were grabbing me, kicking me in the head, kneeing and elbowing me in the face, and punching me everywhere possible. After I was punched several times in the face, I lost consciousness. (NOTE: No officers on the scene tried to stop this wrongdoing against me. There was Thirteen Peace Officers on the scene) I regained awareness, lying on the asphalt. I was covered in blood, with two black eyes, one eye swelled shut with blood in my cornea, my whole body badly bruised, abrasions all over, lips busted, ribs and spine hurting and my eyesight was halfway gone (NOTE: my eyes, head, spine and back are still damaged from this incident).

After these officers brutally beat me, they quickly switched the squad

from the guys who beat me up to two women officers and one male officer who just came on the scene. (Note that the passenger, a Hispanic male I did not know, was in handcuffs, but the excessive force was not placed upon him, and I think he was later let go)

They would not give me the names of the officers or let me speak to them to ask why they had done this to me. I believe they were trying to cover the incident up as quickly as possible. The woman peace officer told me I was under arrest. I don't remember her telling me why I was. At this point, I am immensely hurt. My speech may have been slurred from my lips being busted open and my mouth full of blood; my physical movement was unnatural from the bruising of my bones. They called the ambulance.

When I entered the ambulance, it was apparent I had been injured badly by three or more men. (NOTE: no crime was committed by me. I was falsely accused of committing criminal acts such as two counts of attempted 2nd-degree assault against a peace officer, obstruction against a peace officer, resisting arrest, and driving under the influence)(*assault against a peace officer charges dropped*)

When I got into the hospital, I was admitted quickly, and the white female police who placed me under arrest took pictures of my injuries using her phone. During the hospital check-up, the female officer asked if I wanted to take a D.U.I. test, saying if I refused to take the test my license would be taken, but I could get it back, and I had to get it back from the revenue department before seven days passed. She didn't read the paper right, and I couldn't read the paper good with swollen eyes, so I thought I would get my driver's license back as soon as I got out of jail, with no problem. I declined the D.U.I. because I was scared it would incriminate me, possibly showing a reason for the arrest. After I signed the paper to refuse the D.U.I. test, she re-read it and told me I would lose my license for one year or more.

At that point I asked if they could re-read it because I didn't understand what the paper stated. The female officer claimed she didn't have time to tell me what the form said. I could not read it well. My eyes were injured, and I couldn't see much.

I was very hurt physically and emotionally at this point because the women officers were not trying to correct the unjust situation I was placed in by the male officers who brutally beat me. (Note: I have no criminal background.)

I believe they were protecting the male officers, and it's evident with the body cam evidence I will soon show.

(NOTE: I officially have all the body cams and discovery records for my case)

This act done by the "peace officers" is not honorable. This is a crime against the people of Colorado Springs and me. I Believe my 4th amendment rights were severely violated. My original stop was for a missing license plate, that I had, and was registered. Without any probable cause or reason of suspicion these officers wanted to detain me in handcuffs for a D.U.I. investigation.

I left the hospital around 6:00 am and went to the jail on Las Vegas st. At this point, I'm horrified, feeling as if I will spend a long time in jail for crimes fabricated by "peace officers." I spent two days starving at El Paso County Criminal Justice Center, and my bond was set at $20,000. I could not afford this bond. I cried nervously. Luckily, my sister, also an Army Veteran, pulled out her savings and paid the bond. She spent her last to get me out. This ultimately brought her into the pit they threw me into.

This whole incident truly is saddening. I believe my civil rights were being broken. I believe the amount of aggression and force the peace officers had from the start of the incident clearly shows excessive use of force towards me, a compliant civil human being. (I was also falsely accused of using a knife to assault the officers, far from the truth of the incident) I am currently dealing with PTSD from the incident and head trauma..it's honestly hard to go out to get food because I am terrified of these peace officers. I wish this never happened. My liberty and pursuit of happiness is in jeopardy because of this incident. I don't feel safe in my own neighborhood anymore.

I ask my community to help me raise funds for a criminal lawyer and any other fees that may arise from this case, as I am now out of a job. If anyone knows a criminal lawyer who will take this case free of charge, that would also be helpful. I now have a public defender, Erin Lowenthal, who helped remove the two assault charges. Please help me spread this story. These officers must be held accountable for their actions.

Please share this story, and it would really help if you call or email the Colorado springs police department's internal affairs section to speed up the investigation of these officers' conduct during the traffic stop. I left a prompt below along with the office email and phone number. Please copy and paste what I said below. Thank you so much!

The cops who beat me need to be punished to the fullest extent and if everyone can leave a citizen complaint for these officers the internal affairs office should see the case quicker and they will give disciplinary actions for a sustained case.

Below is a script to use when you call or email the internal affairs. Thank you for your support!

Email:

CSPD .Internal Affairs @ colorado springs . gov

Internal affairs 8am -5pm MST # (719) [phone redacted] , 719- 444 7282

Email or call and say

I want to file a complaint on peace officers Matthew Anderson #5396 , Colby Hickman #7090 and Christopher Hummel #6964 from sand Creek division for using excessive force on Dalvin Gadson, giving him face & body lacerations, abrasions, bruises and eye damage and a concussion and falsely accusing him of multiple charges, such as 2 counts of assault in the second degree against a peace officer, driving under the influence, obstructing a peace officer, and resisting arrest. The 2 assault charges were later dropped on November 30th, and the DMV dismissed the Revocation of his license because there was insufficient probable cause to require a blood test. Dalvin is a Army Veteran and without any probable cause or reason of suspicion he was brutally beaten by these three officers, and wrongly arrested. I believe they severely violated his 4th amendment rights when they forced him out of his car for a D.U.I. without reason of suspicion or probable cause. The initial stop was for a missing license plate. These officers made up a story to make it look like Dalvin was driving under the influence/smoking marijuana. After the unreasonable searching of his car they found no evidence to prove Dalvin was indeed driving under the influence. These peace officers have destroyed the community's trust in them by breaking the law and deserve to be held accountable for their actions. Dalvin did not deserve to go through this. The people of Colorado and the United States wants these peace officers to be punished at the fullest extent.