TERRYTOWN, La. (WGNO) — The Banks family says they’re shaken after an encounter with Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies outside of their catering business last week.
“I’m scared. I can tell you that I’m scared now,” said Cheryl Banks.
According to the Banks family, they noticed a suspicious car sitting outside of their catering business ” Beauchamps Catering last Thursday.
Owner Cheryl Banks says she asked her son Damion to check out the vehicle as she unloaded groceries into the business.
“I asked him is he okay. You know, at this moment, I wasn’t sure that he was an officer. He had nothing on his vest that said sheriff or anything that identified himself,’ said Damion Banks.
Damion says when he walked away, a JPSO deputy quickly got out of the car ordering him to put his hands on the vehicle.
“As this is happening, another unmarked vehicle pulls up. This guy jumps out the car with his guns drawn towards my mom who did not pose any threat to him at all,” said Damion.
Cherly Banks says she was also told to put her hands on the car during the incident, while deputies had her son on the ground.
“While I’m on the ground, on my back, they’re punching me in my face, over and over and over again,” said Damion.
Cheryl says a deputy came up to her as her son was being arrested.
“His words to me was, ‘I thought I was going to have to come over and kill your son,'” said Cheryl.
According to JPSO, the incident remains under investigation.
As for the Banks family, they want to know why this happened and they want the deputies involved to face consequences.
“They’d probably kill somebody child, you know, with the behavior they jumped out on, I don’t think they need to be on the street,” said Cheryl.
We reached out to JPSO, and they said they have not received any formal complaints in relation to this incident. The Sheriff’s Office also says they have reviewed the body camera video and say it does not show any improper actions from JPSO deputies. Banks was arrested for resisting an officer and illegal possession of a firearm, but he maintains he did not have a weapon on him at the time of his arrest.
