Tracey Allen alleges excessive force in an October 2025 confrontation that Detroit’s chief has said violated department policy.
DETROIT, Michigan — A Detroit woman who says a police officer shot her six times during an October traffic stop filed a $25 million federal lawsuit against the city and the officer, alleging excessive and unconstitutional force in a case still under prosecutorial review.
The complaint, filed this week in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, stems from a stop on Oct. 26, 2025. The woman, identified as Tracey Allen, says the encounter escalated after she asked for a supervisor and was pepper-sprayed before driving off and being fired upon. Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison has said the officer violated department policy, and the officer was suspended without pay in November. The Michigan State Police Homicide Task Force forwarded its findings to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office late last fall, where a charging decision remains pending.
Allen and her attorney, civil rights lawyer Maurice Davis, announced the lawsuit at a Thursday press conference in Detroit. Allen said she feared she would be killed as officers boxed in her SUV on Outer Drive near Concord and an officer opened fire as she attempted to leave. “I’d be lying if I said I was okay,” she said, describing lingering pain and anxiety. The suit seeks damages for medical costs, lost income and emotional distress, and it claims the city maintains a pattern of unconstitutional policing. Bettison has previously said body-worn camera footage contradicted early accounts he received and that “multiple policies” were broken during the stop.
According to the lawsuit and prior department briefings, the stop began on Van Dyke and Savage with alleged traffic violations including speeding, excessively tinted windows and an obscured plate. Allen said she asked for a supervisor several times and called 911, telling the operator she was scared. Instead, a second officer arrived. The filing alleges that officer tried to pull Allen from her vehicle and deployed pepper spray; Allen then drove away, later encountering police again on Outer Drive near Concord. Video from that area shows officers attempting to box in her vehicle before shots were fired into the SUV. Allen was struck four times in her left arm, once in her right arm and once in a leg, injuries she showed to reporters.
Officials have not announced criminal charges. The officer who fired shots remains on the force but has been suspended without pay since early November, according to prior statements. Defense attorney Marc Curtis, representing the officer, said the actions must be evaluated based on what was known at the time and urged a full review before conclusions are drawn. Detroit police declined to comment on the lawsuit, citing pending litigation. Bettison has said the department’s policy strictly limits shooting at moving vehicles to extreme circumstances when lives are in immediate danger and that a supervisor should have been called to the scene when requested.
The confrontation unfolded amid broader scrutiny of police pursuits and use of force in Detroit. Bettison publicly corrected his initial briefing after reviewing video, saying Allen had provided her license and registration and that insurance was on her phone. The Michigan State Police Homicide Task Force took over the investigation shortly after the shooting. Its package went to Wayne County prosecutors in late November, and the office has said its review is ongoing. The federal complaint also asserts supervisory and municipal liability claims, contending the city’s policies and training failed to prevent the use of deadly force during a traffic stop.
In the weeks after the shooting, commissioners suspended the officer with pay, then without pay after an early November meeting. At Thursday’s news conference, Davis said, “This case is about accountability,” arguing that law enforcement’s authority must be exercised within constitutional bounds. Neighborhood business owners along Outer Drive described hearing a burst of gunfire that afternoon and seeing cruisers converging on the intersection. One nearby resident said the block has seen more traffic enforcement as construction reroutes cars through side streets.
The prosecutor’s office continues to evaluate the state police file and has not offered a timetable for a decision. Detroit police say they do not comment on active litigation. The civil case is in its opening stage, with service of the complaint to the city and the officer expected this week and an initial court scheduling conference to follow. A status update from prosecutors is the next major milestone.
Author note: Last updated February 6, 2026.