Woman shot 6 times by Detroit police sues officer, city for $25M
DETROIT (FOX 2) - A woman shot six times by a Detroit police officer after a traffic stop last fall is now suing that officer and the city for $25 million.
Tracey Allen was pulled over on Oct. 26, 2025, in the area of Eight Mile and Van Dyke, but what started as a routine traffic stop ended with her hospitalized with multiple gunshot wounds.
The backstory:
According to police, Allen was allegedly speeding, had illegally tinted windows, and an obstructed license plate, so an officer on patrol stopped her. During the stop, Allen told the officer she disagreed with his reason for stopping her and asked for a supervisor, but a supervisor was not called.
During a press conference announcing the lawsuit Thursday, Allen said she called 911 while pulled over and told the dispatcher that she feared for her life. During this time, the officer called for backup.
When backup arrived, police said the officers opened Allen's door and tried to remove her from the vehicle. She was pepper-sprayed before closing the door and driving away. Allen said she was attempting to drive to a police station, and said she remained on the phone with 911 at that time. FOX 2 is working to obtain a copy of that 911 call.
The officers pursued Allen for about a mile before blocking her vehicle with police vehicles. They then ordered Allen out of the vehicle. She said she shook her head no and left toward the police station. This is when multiple shots were fired at her vehicle.
Allen was struck six times, suffering injuries to her legs and arms.
"I thought I was going to die," she said.
Dig deeper:
A few days after the shooting, Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison ordered Allen to be released from jail after reviewing bodycam footage from the encounter.
The chief said that numerous department policies were violated, and noted that the video did not match what he was told happened.
According to Bettison, the violations began with the initial officer failing to call for a supervisor after the driver requested one.
Detroit police shooting: Chief wants officer suspended after shooting driver six times
A supervisor was not called when the driver requested one, officers should not have pursued the driver over a traffic violation, and it is against department rules to discharge a firearm at a moving vehicle unless extreme circumstances such as one's life is in jeopardy.
At that point, the request counts as a citizens complaint and must be escalated to a higher-ranking officer. It is also not department policy to pursue a vehicle for a traffic violation.
"We will pursue individuals who have committed violent crimes only," Bettison said. "As officers, we are trained to de-escalate situations. Failing to request a supervisor when one is requested falls in line with a citizen complaint."
The decision to discharge a firearm should only be made in extreme circumstances where someone's life is in jeopardy.
Officer Zachary Melvin was suspended without pay after the shooting, and remains on that status, per the police department.
What they're saying:
Attorney Maurice Davis said his client was shot "during an encounter where she posed no physical threat to that officer."
He said he wants both the officer to be held accountable, as well as the city because they trained and employed Melvin.
"This case is not about being anti-police. It’s about accountability," Davis said.
Davis said the federal lawsuit was filed Wednesday, and he expects the officer and city to be served with it in the coming days.
The other side:
Both the city and Detroit Police Department declined to comment on pending litigation.
The Source: FOX 2 attended a press conference about the lawsuit. Previous reporting was also used.