SAN FRANCISCO -- A woman is suing after allegedly suffering excessive force by police offers in order to keep her from peaceful protesting.
Sarah Tuning filed a complaint on July 4 in the U.S. District Court for Northern District of California against cities Walnut Creek, Martinez, Pleasant Hill, Pittsburg and San Ramon and those cities' police departments. Also named as defendants are the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit Police Department, the California Highway Patrol and the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Department.
According to the complaint, Tuning was practicing her right to peaceful protest and free speech on June 1, 2020. Tuning alleges she was wrongfully subjected to serious use of a high degree of force by a to-be-identified police officer.
Tuning alleges that she was shot in the face and sustained a severe head injury from a rubber bullet which resulted in a traumatic brain injury, a traumatic subdural hematoma and traumatic, acute intracranial hemorrhage, intraparenchymal hemorrhage, as well as a three-centimeter, C-shaped deep laceration on her forehead. Tuning alleges she was delayed medical attention and her injuries later caused her to be admitted to the hospital.
Tuning seeks compensatory and punitive damages, attorney's fees and cost of suit. Tuning is represented by Sanjay S. Schmidt of the Law Office of Sanjay Schmidt and Beekman and Chikhani LLP.
U.S. District Court Northern District of California case number 3:21-cv-05154-AGT