Black college swimmer on team trip had gun pointed at his head by police

A black student at Eastern Illinois University returning from an out-of-state tournament with his teammates and coaches said several polic...

A black student at Eastern Illinois University returning from an out-of-state tournament with his teammates and coaches said several police officers handcuffed him, pointed a gun at his head and threatened to blow his head off in what turned out to be their search for a wanted suspect.

Jaylan Butler, 20, a sophomore swimmer at the school, filed a lawsuit in January in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois for unlawful search and seizure, false arrest and excessive force.

Butler said he was traveling on a bus with his team last February when it pulled over shortly after 8 p.m. near a rest stop in East Moline, Illinois, so the players could stretch their legs.

Butler got off, took a selfie in front of a roadway sign and was headed back toward the vehicle when several law enforcement vehicles pulled up. Officers exited with their guns drawn, the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, which is representing Butler in his lawsuit, said in a press release.

The lawsuit names officers from three departments: East Moline officer Travis Staes, Hampton officer Ethan Bush and Rock Island sheriff's deputies Jack Asquini and Jason Pena.

Rachel Murphy, one of Butler's attorneys, told NBC News she believes a total of six officers were involved.

FULL STORY: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/black-college-swimmer-team-trip-had-gun-pointed-his-head-n1137126