Officer who said ‘kill them all’ sued over excessive force

A Colorado Springs police officer who was disciplined for saying “kill them all” during a livestream of a racial injustice protest in June 2020 is one of two officers accused in a federal lawsuit of using excessive force on a woman who participated in a protest earlier that month.

In the lawsuit filed Wednesday against the officers and city, Celia Palmer said Sgt. Keith Wrede ambushed her and a friend from behind during the June 2, 2020, protest after police ordered protesters to disperse from near police headquarters.

After leaving the demonstration, Palmer and her friend stopped to watch an officer harass a young Black man and were hit by pepper spray, leading them to walk away quickly, the lawsuit said. Wrede then tackled them without warning and slammed Palmer to the ground, causing her head to bounce off the pavement, according to the lawsuit.

Palmer said in the lawsuit that another officer jumped on her, grabbed her hair, jerked her head around and slammed it to the ground. The lawsuit said the officers’ actions caused Palmer to suffer a traumatic brain injury.

Lt. James Sokolik said Thursday that the police department could not comment on lawsuits.

An internal police investigation found Wrede, using a pseudonym, made comments including “kill them all” during a video of a June 30, 2020, protest. He was suspended for 40 hours and reassigned as a result.

The lawsuit filed Wednesday contends Wrede’s comments online show his motivation in hurting Palmer.