Don Lemon was sued this week with a group of protestors for “severe emotional distress” following the January “ICE Out” protest inside a Minneapolis church.

Churchgoer Ann Doucette claimed in a lawsuit filed Monday that the protest unlawfully interfered with her ability to freely exercise her religion and resulted in “severe emotional distress, fear, anxiety and trauma.”

Lemon documented an anti-ICE protest that took place at a Jan. 18 church service led by the church’s pastor David Easterwood, an alleged ICE field officer, following the fatal shooting of Renee Good.

Douchette was in attendance during the protest and claimed in her lawsuit that the independent journalist did not simply livestream the event but that he “appeared to take satisfaction in the disruption.” She added that one protester said on social media that they assisted Lemon with “logistics and local contacts in support of the operation.”

The former CNN anchor was arrested Jan. 30 and charged with one count of conspiracy against the right of religious freedom at a place of worship and one count of interfering with the exercise of the right of religious freedom. He pled not guilty to the charges and insisted that he exercised his right to the First Amendment as a member of the free press.

The churchgoer also listed activists Nekima Armstrong, Chauntyll Allen, William Kelly, Jamael Lundy, Trahern Crews, Georgia Fort and Jerome Richardson as defendants in the suit. She is seeking an unspecified amount for the claimed damages.

Following his arrest and release last month, Lemon shared that he does not see it as a set back.

“I have spent my entire career covering the news. I will not stop now,” he said at the time. “In fact, there is no more important time than right now, this very moment, for a free and independent media that shines a light on the truth and holds those in power accountable.”

Lemon did not immediately return TheWrap’s request for comment on Doucette’s lawsuit. TMZ first reported the news.

The post Don Lemon Sued for ‘Severe Emotional Distress’ Over Minneapolis Church Protest appeared first on TheWrap.

Brooklyn Center police officers shot and killed a man who is a suspect in a double homicide in Minneapolis.

Investigators believe the suspect exchanged gunfire with police officers in Brooklyn Center at about 4 p.m. Monday, Feb. 23, after the suspect allegedly shot and killed two of his cousins earlier in the day, police said.

Two Shot in Minneapolis

During a press conference, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said investigators believe the suspect in a double homicide had recently been arrested for fleeing police and possession of a handgun modified with an auto sear, an illegal device that converts semi-automatic firearms to fully automatic.

Early Monday afternoon, the 24-year-old suspect was released from the Hennepin County Jail. O’Hara said he believed the man made bail.

According to police, the suspect then went to a family member’s north Minneapolis home, where he shot and killed his 23-year-old and 14-year-old male cousins.

“We’re hearing that it may have had something to do with him being arrested, but there’s no facts that we’re aware of that would suggest that,” O’Hara said of a possible motive.

His grandmother as well as several other children were in the home at the time of the shooting.

“This is an unimaginable loss for the family,” O’Hara said. “The family is very distraught.” 

Investigators: Gunfire Exchanged With Brooklyn Center Police

After the incident, investigators believe the suspect fled the scene of the Minneapolis killing and eventually ended up in Brooklyn Center.

Per a press release, Brooklyn Center police were dispatched at 3:55 p.m. to the 5500-5600 blocks of Brooklyn Boulevard on a report of a man waving a gun outside of several businesses.

“Brooklyn Center police officers arrived in the area and were confronted by the subject who was armed with a handgun,” a press release read. “Gunfire was exchanged between the subject and officers, and the subject was struck by gunfire.”

First responders transported him to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

“Preliminary information indicates this incident is related to a double homicide in Minneapolis earlier that day,” the press release stated.

Meanwhile, the Brooklyn Center Police Department placed the officers involved on critical incident leave, which is standard operating procedure.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension will conduct an independent investigation of the fatal shooting.

“As the investigation unfolds I ask for your patience,” wrote Brooklyn Center Mayor April Graves in a social media post. “It is important that the process be thorough, independent and guided by facts. As your mayor, I am committed to ensuring transparency and will share verified information as it becomes available to me.”

Brooklyn Center

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A former ICE attorney has come forward with serious allegations about the agency’s training practices.

ICE whistleblower raises concerns over training 

Ryan Schwank, a former ICE attorney, testified before a congressional panel on Monday, revealing that he received orders to teach new cadets to violate the Constitution. Schwank claims that ICE drastically reduced the length of its training program by nearly half, leaving recruits unprepared for their duties. 

“They ceased all of the legal instructions regarding the use of force,” he said. “This means that cadets are not taught what it means to be objectively reasonable.”

Schwank told the panel that he resigned on Feb. 13 to be able to speak publicly.

What we know:

Schwank said that many recruits lacked a basic understanding of their responsibilities before being sent out with a gun and badge. He expressed concern that cadets could not demonstrate a solid grasp of tactics or the law required for their roles.

Homeland Security officials refute whistleblower’s claims

Homeland Security officials pushed back against Schwank’s claims, denying that training hours had been cut. Officials said officers receive extensive firearm training, de-escalation tactics and comprehensive instruction on the Fourth and Fifth Amendments.

What they’re saying:

In a statement, Homeland Security emphasized that new agents also receive on-the-job training, which is tracked and monitored.

The hearing also touched on the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, as well as the case of Garrison Gibson, a Liberian immigrant whose arrest was ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge. His wife, Teyana Gibson Brown, recounted the traumatic experience of ICE officers breaking into their home.