New Yorker Sues VIPA, Port Police After Alleged Airport Tackle Fractured His Wrist

ST. THOMAS — A New York resident is suing the Virgin Islands Port Authority and several Port Police officers, alleging that an officer tackled him to the floor at Cyril E. King Airport during a dispute at the Delta Air Lines ticket counter, fracturing his wrist even though, according to the complaint, he was unarmed, made no threats and was never arrested. Cory Lawhorn filed the civil complaint in District Court on Monday over the August 4 incident, accusing VIPA and individual officers of excessive force, unreasonable seizure, failure to intervene and other constitutional and territorial-law violations. According to the complaint, Mr. Lawhorn was at the Delta ticket counter at approximately 6:30 p.m. when he and other travelers were informed that the airport’s security checkpoints had closed for the evening, preventing them from checking in for their flight. “A verbal dispute followed between members of the traveling public and Delta Airlines personnel, as the would-be travelers we...