Prosecutors in Michigan to investigate off-duty federal officers who detained man at Hinckley bar

HINCKLEY TWP. — The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan will investigate an incident where off-duty federal officers detained a man at a Hinckley bar. The incident occurred around 11:30 p.m. April 26 at the Buzzard's Roost Tavern, according to Brunswick police. Medina County Sheriff's Office dispatch asked Brunswick police to respond to the disturbance until Hinckley police could arrive at the scene. Body camera footage from Brunswick police shows officers speaking with the people involved to get their side of the story. A man who said he works for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was at the Buzzard's Roost Tavern with another man who works for the Drug Enforcement Administration. The ATF officer said they talked to another man at the bar who they claimed was in the United States illegally. The officer then grabbed the man and held him to the ground until Brunswick police arrived, which can be seen on the body camera footage. When speaking to Brunswick police, the DEA officer made multiple comments saying the man could "blow up the mall" and called him a "terrorist." Brunswick police determined the man had a valid Texas ID. The man said he is a refugee from Eritrea who has legally lived in the United States for the past 14 years. The man works as a truck driver and had a delivery at Aldi scheduled for April 29, so he had a reservation at a nearby hotel. He parked his truck at Aldi and stopped by the Buzzard's Roost Tavern for a drink before he was detained by the federal officers. Medina County Prosecutor Forrest Thompson said the prosecutor's office is not pursuing charges, but it does have an active case file on the incident. As of Tuesday, it was confirmed that there will be an open investigation through the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, Thompson said. The incident is also being investigated by the FBI because the potential criminal charges are federal. Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.