Trey Songz Sues Kansas City Police After Alleged Excessive Force
R&B star Trey Songz filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the Kansas City Police Department and private security over his arrest at a 2021 Kansas City Chiefs playoff game, claiming officers used excessive force and failed to protect him.
Songz, whose legal name is Tremaine Aldon Neverson, says the incident unfolded Jan. 24, 2021, at Arrowhead Stadium during the AFC Championship Game between the Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills. He states he sat in his assigned seat when nearby fans began heckling him because of his celebrity status.
According to the lawsuit, the verbal harassment escalated into threats and intimidation. Songz asserts that stadium security and Kansas City police officers responded to the scene but ignored aggressive fans and instead turned their attention toward him. The complaint claims officers physically assaulted, wrongfully arrested, handcuffed and detained him, rather than shielding him from the chaotic situation.
Officials booked Songz on trespassing, resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer — charges that were later dismissed, the filing notes. Songz argues the arrest caused him physical injuries, emotional distress and harm to his professional reputation, and he is seeking unspecified financial damages tied to those alleged harms.
The suit names both the Kansas City Police Department and Whelan Event Services, the private security contractor, accusing both of acting negligently and failing in their duty to protect invitees at the stadium. Songz also accuses the police of using excessive force and unlawfully detaining him.
Representatives for the Kansas City Police Department declined to comment publicly on the ongoing litigation, citing standard legal practice. The case now heads into civil court, where Songz demands a jury trial.
Legal observers say the lawsuit highlights ongoing debates about police conduct and crowd control at major sporting events.
