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Denver detective sued after conducting SWAT at elderly woman's home after Find My mistakenly identified her home as the location of stolen property iPhone. .
January 3, 2022, a truck was stolen from the Denver Hyatt. According to the owner, it contained six firearms, two drones, $4,000 in cash, and an iPhone 11.
The next day, Denver detective Gary Staab questioned the owner of the stolen item. Staab was told that the Apple Find My app had pinged the address twice the day before.
Stubb then drafted an affidavit for a search of the resident's home.
The resident of the address in question was 77-year-old Ruby Johnson. During the raid, Johnson was placed in a police car as Offers used a battering ram to destroy her garage door and door jamb.
They also destroyed property in her home, including her collectible dolls, when they ransacked her home for stolen items. No stolen property was found in the house.
Johnson is suing Staab for the search and destruction itself. The lawsuit alleges that Staab's sworn testimony violated Johnson's right, granted by the state constitution, “to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures,” according to NBC News.
The complaint alleges that Staab was unable to independently verify the whereabouts. The Apple Find My app is intended to provide approximate location information and should not be used as a law enforcement tool.
The complaint also states that neither Staab nor the police department apologized for the raid. The police department also refuses to pay for repairs from the search.
After filing the lawsuit, the Denver Police Department and the Department of Public Safety released a statement saying they “sincerely apologize to Ms. Johnson for any negative impact this situation may have had on her.”
After the raid, Johnson left home for her son's home in Texas because she didn't want to stay at her home. She has since returned to Denver but is afraid to open the door.
A detailed analysis of the situation, as well as an sworn record of the raid, can be viewed at 9News
