Woman claiming she was unlawfully handcuffed by Fayetteville police plans to file lawsuit, police chief responds

Ja'Lana Dunlap said she was taking pictures of a dump site on Sept. 6, something her boss asked her to do. When police arrived, the situation quickly escalated out of control.

"After [the female officer ran] my license plate, that's when she came up, opened my door and grabbed my arm and that's where you see the video started at,” Dunlap said.

Dunlap said the officers told her they were looking for a fugitive in the area. She said that didn't have anything to do with her. Dunlap said the two officers pulled her from the car, slammed her on the back of her vehicle and put her in handcuffs. She believes the officers were overly aggressive.

"This has been a traumatizing experience, but I just really, I really wish the police department would just step up and acknowledge their wrongdoing,” Dunlap said.

On Tuesday, Fayetteville Police Chief Gina Hawkins provided WRAL News with a written statement:

Dunlap told WRAL News she has not heard from the Fayetteville Police Department. She said she plans to file a lawsuit.

Attorney Harry Daniels is representing Dunlap.

"She told you who she was. She told you what she was doing. That wasn't good enough for you,” Daniels said. “So, the only thing that I could [see as] a threat [is]... her skin color was a weapon.

“It's the issue that you had with her, and you did what you did."