Sureshbhai Patel’s Recovery Fund Raises Over $120K In Donations
The Indian grandfather who was hospitalized and left partially paralyzed by an Alabama police officer, Eric Parker, has already received more than $120,000 in donations through crowdfunding efforts erected on his behalf.
Sureshbhai Patel’s Recovery Fund has raised a total of $121,823 in just a couple of days. With more 2,800 donors, the crowdfunding campaign on GoFundMe has already exceeded its goal of $100,000.
Madison Police Chief Larry Muncey indicated that Parker’s actions “did not meet the high standards and expectations” of the police department.
“For that, I sincerely apologize to Mr. Patel, his family and our community. Our desire is to exceed everyone’s expectations.”
Video of the incident was captured on police cruiser dashcams, the footage of which was released by the department.
The 57-year-old Patel, who speaks no English, was in Madison visiting his son, Chirag, when he was body-slammed by officer Parker. He had traveled to Alabama from Pij, India, to not only visit his son, but also to assist in caring for his son and daughter-in-law’s 17-month-old child. Chirag works and attends graduate school at the University of Alabama.
On the day of the incident, a 911 caller informed police that there was “a skinny black guy” walking around the neighborhood. That “skinny black guy” appears to have been a reference to Sureshbhai.
When police approached the elder Patel while responding to the call, they asked him where he lived. When they did, he pointed down the road and attempted to head in that direction. The officers then restrained him upon his attempts to walk away and then continued to question him in English, a language which he doesn’t speak. After this charade continues for some time, the officers then decide to place him in handcuffs.
Once cuffed, the Madison cops then begin to pat him down while ordering him not to walk away. Suddenly, officer Eric Parker slams the elderly Indian man into the ground, and as they attempt to bring him back up to his feet, it becomes apparent that he is injured and is unable to stand on his own. Officers then call for paramedics while the continue to discuss his ability to speak English while further questioning him in English.
A lawsuit was filed in federal court on Thursday by Sreshbhai’s attorney, who argued that the police had used excessive force and that they had no reason to search him while on a public sidewalk.
The Inquisitr reported that a Washington homeless man was shot to death by police after allegedly throwing rocks, and the incident was caught on home video by a bystander.
