A Miami family says it’s outraged and wants answers after a 13-year-old and 12-year-old were left “bloodied, bruised, and traumatized” after the home they were staying in was raided by SWAT.
Last Thursday, Miami Police’s SWAT stormed the Coconut Grove home around 11 a.m. with a narctoics warrant. The only people inside were two 13-year-olds and a 12-year-old. The first person SWAT encountered was McClendon’s 13-year-old nephew in the kitchen.
“They tell him ‘GET DOWN. GET DOWN. GET DOWN.’ He’s looking for a spot to get down at; they hit him on top of the head with their rifles,” said the father of two of the children, Bobby McClendon. “It’s kind of strange how they would be so aggressive to children who aren’t aggressive.”
The next person police found was 12-year-old Aaron McClendon. He was sleeping in the back room when he says he was forced out and then was punched in the eye.
According to Bobby McClendon, officers went to the wrong house because the address on the warrant states 3744 Williams Avenue and the home that was raided was at 3844 Thomas Avenue. That point is disputed by Miami Police.
“This was the right house,” said Major Delrish Moss. “Not only was it the right house, but a gun was seized and illegal narcotics taken from the location.”
Moss added that it was the right house, but the wrong address. He said he couldn’t comment further on the investigation as it is still ongoing. He did address the pictures of the injuries suffered by the two children.
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“They’re disturbing,” Moss said. “Kids shouldn’t be harmed in these instances.”
Moss said that in all of the chaos of the raid, the 13-year-old was injured when he “ran into an officers weapons.” Moss couldn’t say how McClendon’s son was hurt.
“A lot happened there,” Moss aid. “We’re trying to see if the force that was used, who used force, what force was used, and why. The police officers went in to do their jobs. If they did it the wrong way, the appropriate punishment will be dealt.”
Miami Police’s Internal Affairs division is investigating the raid. McClendon said he is in the process of retaining an attorney to see what his legal options are moving forward.
