Tracey Allen: Unarmed Black Woman Shot 6 Times By Detroit Police, Files $25 Million Lawsuit
On Oct. 26, 2025 a Detroit woman named Tracey Allen was shot six times by a police officer while she was fleeing the scene of a traffic stop. According to Fox2Detroit, Allen was unarmed and did not present a threat of violence, she simply fled the scene. That is not a reason to end up with six gunshot wounds.
Let Detroit Police Department tell it, Allen had an obstructed license plate, illegally tinted windows, and was speeding when she was pulled over by Officer Zachary Melvin. Upon asking for a supervisor, she was denied. It was at this point when Allen called 911 and requested help saying that she feared for her life. Unfortunately, she was correct in her concern. Within moments on the scene, Melvin attempted to pulled her out of her vehicle and pepper-sprayed her. Upon fleeing the traffic stop, Allen was pursued for about a mile before she was boxed in and attempted to flee once more. It was then that the Officer Melvin reportedly opened fire, striking her multiple times.
It should come as no surprise that the the unnamed officer didn’t describe the events as they actually occurred. Within days of the shooting and after a review of the body camera video, Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison immediately suspended Melvin without pay and made public that the officer’s account was not consistent with the video evidence. Bettison says that multiple department violations had taken place beginning from the time that Allen requested a supervisor. He also made clear that it is against department policy to purse a citizen for a traffic violation. As dangerous as pursuits can be for all parties involved including the public, there is no reason other than ego and personal desire to inflict harm to chase someone over speeding and tinted windows.
Attorney Maurice Davis is representing Ms. Allen and filed a $25 million federal lawsuit against both the city of Detroit and Officer Melvin who remains suspended without pay.
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