ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (WAND) – The Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office is addressing a lawsuit filed by an Eastern Illinois University swimmer who says he was wrongfully detailed and held at gunpoint during a manhunt in February of 2019 that made him fear for his life.

"Mr. Jaylan Butler did not deserve to fear for his life that evening and for that we are sorry,” Rock Island County Sheriff Jerry Bustos said.

Bustos called the Wednesday news conference one week after WAND-TV was the first to report the lawsuit filed by Butler. During the news conference, Bustos released dash camera video of the encounter.

The lawsuit stems from an incident when Jaylan Butler, 19, was detained at an Interstate 80 rest stop as police looked for the suspect in a shooting. In a lawsuit filed on behalf of Butler, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said officers arrested Butler on false pretenses and used excessive force. Sheriff Bustos said during the news conference the video shows his officers acted appropriately.

In the video, officers from the Hampton and East Moline Police Departments are responding to a call about a suspicious person seen running near the rest stop where officers were searching for a shooting suspect. The officers responded to the area near the rest stop after a caller reported the person.

In the video, the two officers arrive at the rest stop and can be seen running towards the charter bus carrying Butler and his EIU swim team. They were returning from a meet in South Dakota.

It is unclear if Butler is detained in the video or if he is being held at gunpoint as the lawsuit claims. Sheriff Bustos said he believes the lawsuit is without merit.

“Our deputies do not deserve to be tried and convicted by the media and the public for conduct that has not been proven,” Bustos said.

Officers can be seen returning to their car just over two minutes after arriving. One of the officers is carrying his long rifle across his body.

"A short time after our deputies left the rest area, our Rock Island County deputies located a suspected gunman trying to get into neighboring homes,” Bustos said.

Officers can be heard asking if Butler was the suspect as they return to the car. One of the officers is heard saying “no”.

In the lawsuit filed in the Central District of Illinois, Butler’s attorneys allege that their client did not commit a crime, but “continued with detention and arrest” after realizing they were “mistaken in arresting Jaylan”.

Butler is suing officers from the Hampton Police Department, the East Moline Police Department, and the Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office for false arrest, excessive detention, and excessive use of force and is represented by attorneys at the ACLU of Illinois and Sidley Austin LLP. 

The case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois.