**Breaking News: $10 Million Lawsuit Filed Against Florida Police After Mistaken Arrest**
In a shocking turn of events, Hernando County, Florida, police are facing a staggering $10 million lawsuit following the wrongful arrest of Tony Ngwin, a man mistakenly apprehended while grocery shopping at Walmart. Eyewitness footage reveals a chaotic scene as Deputy Michael McNeely, acting on false information, took Ngwin into custody, believing him to be an individual with a violent past.
The incident unfolded when Walmart’s loss prevention specialist, David Pedigrew, misidentified Ngwin as Cody Vanderland, who had a trespass warning. Despite Ngwin’s protests and his girlfriend’s desperate attempts to intervene, McNeely proceeded with the arrest without confirming Ngwin’s identity or checking his identification—a glaring oversight that has sparked outrage.
“Where are you taking him?” Ngwin’s girlfriend, Lauren Caldwell, pleaded, capturing the distressing moments on her phone. The deputy’s insistence on following through with the arrest, despite Ngwin’s compliance and clear communication about a decade-old trespass warning, has raised serious questions about racial profiling and procedural misconduct.
Ngwin was detained and taken to the Hernando County Jail, where McNeely finally acknowledged the mix-up—only to be instructed by his supervisor to re-arrest Ngwin after discovering the old trespass warning. The case was eventually dismissed by local prosecutors, but the damage had already been done.
Now, Ngwin is suing Walmart, Pedigrew, and Deputy McNeely for false imprisonment and racial profiling. Legal experts suggest that the defendants should consider a settlement, as the recorded evidence from Caldwell provides a compelling case against them. The fallout from this incident underscores the urgent need for accountability and reform in policing practices, particularly regarding the treatment of minorities. This case is poised to ignite further discussions about civil rights and the ethics of policing in America. Stay tuned as this story develops.