‘We Don’t Know … It Might Be Stolen’: Eight Seattle Cops Who Surrounded Black Man’s Car with Guns Drawn, Ignoring Evidence In License Plate Mix-Up Will Cost City $319,000

It should have been obvious to Seattle police they were jumping to conclusions when they pulled a Black man over at gunpoint four years ago on the false claim he was driving a stolen vehicle. After all, Anthony Sims was driving a car with the license place number BEX1947 – and the license plate numbers that were reported as “near hits” of stolen vehicles were BEX1997 and BEX1974 – similar but different. Anthony Sims was awarded a $319,000 settlement over a 2020 traffic stop where he was falsely accused by Seattle police of driving a stolen vehicle and threatened at gunpoint. (Photo: Police dash camera) “Your plate comes back as a stolen vehicle,” said Seattle Police Lt. Robert Brown told Sims through the public address system in his patrol car, according to video footage from the dash camera in his patrol car. “I need you step out and talk to us, OK.” Once out of the car, Brown ordered Sims to turn around and lift his shirt to show he had no gun in his waistband before ordering him to walk backwards to be frisked. Sims complied with the orders but was visibly upset, telling Brown he owned the vehicle...