BlakeDavidTaylor/iStock(LOS ANGELES) — Ricky Gory had just picked his children up from school when suddenly he was being followed by armed bounty hunters.
Gory then crashed into a tree near the driveway of their home and what followed was a disturbing video that showed his terrified children screaming as the bounty hunters arrested their father for unpaid traffic violations, according to video obtained by ABC News.
“Don’t kill my daddy!” one of the children is heard screaming in the video, all shot by Gory’s 12-year-old son, Amari Snell Moore.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department told ABC Los Angeles station KABC, the situation occurred on the afternoon of Jan. 30.
According to nearby witnesses, six bounty hunters stormed over to his car with guns drawn. He was shortly taken into custody after the crash, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department told KABC.
In the video, Gory can be heard saying he panicked because he wasn’t sure who the bounty hunters were who stormed his car.
Brittany Snell, Gory’s girlfriend, told ABC News that the bounty hunters overreacted, especially with the children in the car. She said the authorities were following Gory all day, but for some reason chose to detain him after he had his children in the car.
“I didn’t like how they approached my son yelling cussing with his gun out once Ricky was already in custody,” Snell told ABC News. “I felt like they should’ve been more sympathetic to the children and tried to calm them down instead of interrogating a 12-year-old. Instead, on the video, I don’t see that much concern for their physical safety or health.”
Amari said the officers began swearing at him and asking if there was anyone else in the car or in the home.
“The bounty hunter has his gun on his chest, and he’s cussing at me, telling me, ‘Who else is in the f’ing house? Who else is in the car?” Amari told KABC.
“I feel like they need to be held accountable for their actions, they used my kids as a shield then they verbally attacked them,” Snell told ABC News. “I feel like there should be some type of regulations for bounty hunters more training in this field or maybe leave it up to the real police agencies entirely.”
ABC News was unable to reach the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department for comment.
Gory has a lengthy record of all non-violent crimes, which are mostly traffic tickets in which he failed to appear. He is still behind bars due to a traffic warrant while his family pleads for his return home.
“I want him to come back,” Amari told KABC.
Snell said Amari is still “traumatized” over the incident, saying he is afraid to be alone in their house and afraid for his siblings.
“My other children don’t fully understand what happened they are lost and continue to ask for their father,” Snell said.
No injuries were reported in this incident, according to authorities.
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