NIU football player claims false arrest left him too injured to play

MATTESON, Ill. (WLS) -- A football player at Northern Illinois University claims a false arrest left him too injured to play this season.

His family now has security around their south suburban home after they say someone shot at their house on Tuesday - the same day a lawsuit was filed on behalf of their son, Jryan Mitchell.

The complaint is against the Village of Matteson, Matteson Police Officer Dominic Bates and two state police troopers for an injury suffered during a false arrest.

"This experience was traumatizing from the start. I was both scared and nervous because for the first time in my life, my life was in the hands of the police," Jyran Mitchell said.

Mitchell is now a freshman at NIU. On Thursday, he met at his attorney's office with his parents and grandmother.

"We raise our kids to be good, go to church. I just can't believe it happened. And we've been in the community so long," his mother, Cherryl Mitchell, said through tears.

In February, he was a senior at Rich Central High School with 4.0 GPA average who played several varsity sports. The complaint alleges that three officers came to the family home with only Mitchell and his grandmother at home and a Chevy Malibu in the driveway. Officers said they were looking for the Shawn Mitchell Jr., who allegedly left a traffic stop driving a Jaguar.

"I was respectful to the police, I was kind to the police. I expected that they would respect me, especially as a woman and a senior. Yet instead of listening to me, they ended up attacking my grandson," said Carolyn Mitchell, his grandmother.

"He wound up having to go to the hospital, surgery and his life is forever changed," said Vic Henderson, Mitchell's attorney.

Mitchell claims the rough false arrest tore his meniscus, resulting in losing the end of his high school sports seasons and impacting his future in professional sports.

"These things need to be brought to the forefront so we can stop it. I don't want this to happen to another young man," said his father, Shawn Mitchell Sr.

The Village of Matteson's administrator said they have no comment on the issue. An Illinois State Police spokeswoman said they do not comment on pending litigation.

Mitchell was never taken to the police station. He has had surgery and said he is not able to play sports as he had before.