An 18-year-old Black man has filed a civil rights lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles, claiming he was racially profiled and violently detained by police officers while still a minor. The complaint, lodged in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, names the city as defendant and seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.

Lawsuit Alleges Pattern of Profiling

The plaintiff, Jeramiah Burge, states in his filing that officers targeted him because of his age and race. “Burge was racially profiled as a criminal and a gang member based on being a teenager, young and Black,” the suit alleges.

Burge contends that what began as an ordinary evening visit to family in South Los Angeles turned into a traumatic confrontation with law enforcement.

Story Highlights

• Plaintiff: 18-year-old Jeramiah Burge

• Filed: Civil rights lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court

• Defendant: City of Los Angeles

• Key Allegations: Racial profiling, assault, battery, negligence, excessive force

• Incident: June 30, 2024, South Los Angeles

• Main Claims: Officers questioned Burge about gang ties and weapons, then used force

• Relief Sought: Unspecified compensatory and punitive damages

Evening in South Los Angeles Turns Into Detention

According to the lawsuit, Burge and his mother were visiting friends on the evening of June 30, 2024. When his mother went into a store, he waited in the passenger seat of a friend’s car and spoke on the phone.

At that point, the complaint states, two Los Angeles police officers — one male and one female — approached the car. One allegedly asked him, “Are you a gang banger?” Another followed up by asking whether he had a gun in the vehicle.

Burge says he replied “no” to both questions. The filing claims that despite his answers, the officers ordered him to exit the car, pushed him against the hood, and repeatedly told him to stop resisting. The lawsuit asserts that he was not resisting at any time.

Use of Force Detailed in Complaint

The court filing goes on to describe a series of actions Burge says were unprovoked. According to the lawsuit, the officers kicked his feet out from under him, causing him to fall. He had a recently fractured shoulder at the time and says the officers denied his request to call his mother.

The complaint further alleges that additional officers arrived at the scene, threw him to the ground again, threatened to shoot him with a stun gun, slapped him multiple times in the face, used the stun gun on his chest several times, and placed him in a chokehold, making it hard for him to breathe.

He was hospitalized with injuries, the suit states, and when his mother returned about 30 minutes later, officers allegedly refused to tell her what had happened.

Possible Video Evidence and Continuing Impact

Burge’s lawsuit says he believes body-worn camera footage and nearby surveillance cameras recorded the incident. He maintains he had done nothing wrong to justify being detained, arrested or subjected to excessive force.

The complaint also details ongoing harm, including loss of past and future income, fear, anxiety, headaches, sleep disturbance and difficulty concentrating.

City Response Pending

A representative for the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the civil rights lawsuit.

The case highlights ongoing public debates in Los Angeles about racial profiling, use of force, and police accountability — topics that have drawn national attention and legal action in recent years.

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