ATLANTA — An Atlanta family claims an FBI SWAT team stormed their house, tossed flash bang grenades, and held them at gunpoint during a raid.
A new federal lawsuit, filed by the family, said the FBI was raiding the wrong home.
"I thought our life was over. I thought we were dead," said Curtrina Martin, the homeowner.
Martin, who filed suit this week, was at home with her then-fiance and 7-year-old son during the overnight hours of October 18th 2017.
"Next thing I knew there were flash bombs," said Martin, describing the 4 a.m. raid.
Martin and her fiance ran to hide in the closet. Agents pulled the pair out. Martin's son was in another room.
"I always said 'I would fight a lion with my bare hands, to protect my child,'" Martin said, "and at that moment I couldn't."
According to the lawsuit, the agents were serving a "no-knock" warrant. Which allows the SWAT team to force entry into the home. The FBI declined to comment on the lawsuit.
It's not clear what the SWAT team was looking for. The lawsuit alleges the correct house was about a block away.
"Someone said, 'we apologize, this is the wrong house,'" said Martin, "they went down to the correct house, and I could hear it all over again. I just prayed that family was okay."
"These no-knock warrants are a public safety issue. I wish that the courts would take them more seriously," said Martin's attorney Jeff Filipovits.
Martin said her son has suffered severe mental trauma since the raid.
"My son is horrified of anyone with a uniform on," said Martin, "he still reenacts the whole situation."
OTHER NEWS: