From [HERE] A 2-year-old Latino boy was burned and hospitalized after police threw an explosive device directly into his room during a “no-knock” raid on the wrong home, despite being told by the parents that there was an infant in the room, according to a lawsuit.
Jose and Paulina Salinas are suing the City of Oxnard and its police department, seeking damages for assault, battery, trespass, false imprisonment and infliction of emotional distress. According to Courthouse News, in their lawsuit, the Salinas family says they were sleeping on April 16, around 4 a.m., when they were awakened by scuffling footsteps and vehicles outside their condominium.
When Jose Salinas drew the curtains of his bedroom window, he saw the barrel of a policeman’s gun pointed at him. Police broke the front windows of the home and set off three smoke bombs. Police then crashed through the front door with guns drawn, yelling, “Get down and put your hands to your head!
With laser-mounted guns pointed at them, Paulina and Jose Salinas were handcuffed and put to their knees. Their 10-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son were shoved into a corner.
As police approached one of the bedrooms, Paulina Salinas and her two older children told officers there was a 2-year-old in the room. Police ignored them, told them to cover their ears, and threw a smoke bomb into the room as 2-year-old Justin Salinas stood near the door.
When the smoke bomb detonated, shrapnel from the blast hit Justin in the foot, causing first-degree burns and glass cuts. The 2-year-old was brought the the hospital and treated for his injuries. [MORE]