A former NFL star is seeking $2 million after the police misidentified him and held him at gunpoint. Wesley Leasy, 54, recalls the terrifying incident while revealing that he had never been “so afraid” in his entire life. The incident unfolded in April at the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
The 54-year-old was a former Arizona Cardinals player. He played as a linebacker for the team from 1995 and 1996. The lawsuit that Leasy has filed against the cities of Mesa and Phoenix, Mesa and Phoenix’s police departments, the Phoenix Aviation Department, and the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
On April 10, Leasy was allegedly detained as the suspect for a shooting that happened nearby. The former athlete has driven to the airport in his white Mercedes to pick up his 26-year-old daughter.
“Police Officers witnessed a standard/common Father and daughter reunion at the Airport and then drew their weapons, forcing them both to the ground, handcuffing both of them, and utterly refusing to take the context of the situation into account,” one of the two notices of claim, which was filed, reads.
Mesa police had released a statement that suspected the shooter to be “possibly” a white man who was “wearing a black mask and black sweats.” The white male accused of murder was driving a white Mercedes. Leasy and his daughter, who are black, did not match the description but were detained regardless.
The department addressed the mix-up while noting that they “do not believe officers with the vehicle were aware of this prior to or at the time of the traffic stop.” The statement also detailed how Leasy and his daughter were released once they were ruled out to not match the description.
Held at gunpoint. Forced face-down. Handcuffed in front of his daughter. All while innocent. Wesley Leasy, a former Arizona Cardinals player, was wrongly detained at an AZ airport — police reportedly admitted he was not the suspect, who they described as a white man. Now Leasy is… pic.twitter.com/BDzUh9MpiS
— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) October 10, 2025
On the other hand, the detention was no less than an ordeal for the father-daughter duo. “I’ve never been so afraid in my entire life,” the former linebacker said in an interview with NBC News. He went on to add how the memories will be with him “until his time comes.”
Benjamin Taylor, who is currently representing Leasy, spoke to Atlanta Black Star and shared just how traumatising and humiliating the experience was for his clients.
In an email sent to the publication, Taylor wrote about how his Leasy and his daughter “could have been killed” at the hands of Mesa and the Phoenix Police. During the incident, Mr. Leasy was terrified for his life as well as the life of his Daughter,” the notice of claims details.
“Physical force” was applied to both, and no answer was given to Leasy, who questioned why he and his innocent daughter were being detained. The whole ordeal lasted for 20 minutes, after which the former athlete was given an explanation for what he and his daughter were put through.
Days after the shooting, a 19-year-old white male was arrested and confirmed to be the shooter. “I’m 6’4″, 240 pounds, and I’m a nice-looking man, but I’m dark skin,” Leasy told NBC News. He added previously, there has never been confusion between a “Caucasian and myself.”
