Trey Songz delivered a hit to a police officer’s head at a Detroit performance, according to a new lawsuit filed by the officer and a photographer who also says he was assaulted at the concert.
According to the suit, during a performance at Joe Lewis Arena in December 2016, Songz “became irate” when the microphone and stage lighting were apparently cut off, and “hurled heavy sound equipment and other items off of the stage and into persons in the crowd.” The suit says that Songz also “jumped into the crowd, pushed through patrons, climbed back onto the stage, and continued to destroy items on the stage.”
The suit goes on to say that Songz “picked up a microphone stand and deliberately, intentionally and recklessly threw it at” Andrew Potter, who was working the show as a photographer, “striking him in the back of the head and knocking him to the ground … Plaintiff, Andrew Potter, sustained a serious head injury as a result of the assault and was immediately taken to the hospital for treatment.”
The complaint says that Robert Avery, who was working crowd control in his capacity as a sergeant with the Detroit Police Department, was ordered along with other members of the department to go to the dressing room area to arrest Songz. According to the suit, Songz was “irate” and “uncooperative,” hurling “racially derogatory expletives” such as, “F— you cracker white mother f—ers!” and “Don’t touch me you white mother f—a!”
“During the officers’ attempt to take Defendant into custody, Defendant struck Plaintiff, Robert Avery, on the right side of his face with a closed fist,” the suit reads. “Defendant continued to intentionally and physically resist the officers’ efforts to secure his hands in handcuffs and, during the struggle, Defendant landed on top of Plaintiff, Robert Avery, on the ground, causing Mr. Avery to strike his head on the concrete and injure his hip.”
The alleged incident left Avery with “visible bruising and swelling to his right temple, and a contusion to his left forehead,” according to the suit.
TheWrap has reached out to Songz’s representatives for comment on the suit, which accuses him of assault and battery, as well as intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The suit seeks unspecified damages but says that the amount in controversy exceeds $75,000.
Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.