Man files complaint claiming racial profiling

The man who claimed he was the victim of racial profiling during last Wednesday's robbery of a Little Caesars filed a citizen complaint with the Brooksville Police Department.
Police Chief George Turner said he would investigate the complaint but defends his police officers whom he said "went by the book" during the handling of the armed robbery that led to the arrest of two Brooksville men.
Elijah Harris alleges he was singled out because he is black and that he was the only customer police officers told to get on the floor when they arrived at the pizza restaurant, a statement Turner denies.
"No one came to talk to me or anything with an excuse or why I was the only one put on the ground," Turner said Harris wrote in the complaint.
Turner said he will again talk to witnesses and others before issuing his findings. He also hopes to talk with Harris again.
"I will reach out to him at some point to tell him what all the witnesses have said," Turner said. "Mr. Harris may well believe he was singled out but all the evidence and witness statements and films that are available don't support that at all."
Late Monday afternoon, Turner obtained a copy of the video from Wednesday's robbery. However, the video was trained on the registers and employees in front of the restaurant and will likely not show the position of Harris or others, he said.
There was only one other customer in the Little Caesars at the time, a white woman, Tuner said. Witnesses said she was also told by police officers to get on the ground.
"Based on all the evidence right now and interviews, the deputies did everything by the book and did not single anybody out," Turner said.
John Patrick Maher, 28, and Joel Gavin Ford, 25, both of Brooksville, have been arrested on charges of armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery.