Video shows Woodridge police detaining wrong person: 'I f---ed this up'
WARNING: THE LANGUAGE IN THIS VIDEO IS VERY GRAPHIC. VIEWER DISCRETION IS STRONGLY ADVISED.
DUPAGE COUNTY, Ill. - An Illinois man has filed a lawsuit against the Woodridge Police Department and several of its officers after they mistakenly detained him while searching for suspects in connection with a crime last year.
The complaint, filed by the law firm Ekl, Williams & Provenzale LLC, alleges Derrick House's rights were violated when Woodridge officers placed him in handcuffs at gunpoint in front of neighbors, causing "psychological and emotional" trauma.
Now, dramatic bodycam video has been released, showing House at the center of the chaos as police officers surrounded the suburban father with their weapons drawn.
Illinois man mistakenly detained
What we know:
On Jan. 19, 2024, House was driving home to his wife and kids after a trip to Costco, when an unmarked squad car rushed up to him and forced him to stop, according to the lawsuit.
Bodycam video then shows officers from several squad cars approaching House in his vehicle with their guns drawn.
Officers can be heard shouting various commands, such as "Hands up, right now!" and "Put the f---ing window down!" The lawsuit notes that the directions House was given were "confusing and contradictory."
One officer is heard shouting to House: "Ima shoot you in your head if you come up with anything other than that."
When House exited the vehicle with his hands up and officers placed him into handcuffs, he is heard telling them, "I don't have any weapons, I just came from Costco, dude."
According to the lawsuit and an officer at the scene, Woodridge police were acting on a report of a shooting in Oswego that involved a different car with different plates, make, color, and number of occupants.
Patrick Provenzale, House’s attorney, said officers were looking for a black Volkswagen Tiguan, not a gray Volkswagen Atlas like his client’s. The suspect's vehicle was also reported to be carrying two occupants; House was the sole occupant in his car.
Plus, the license plates simply didn't match.
"In the totality of what they knew, they ignored almost all of that information. They saw a black man driving a Volkswagen SUV and that was apparently enough," Provenzale said. "The police can’t behave this way, where they act on partial information when they have it all, and ignore the most important things, and then carry out these kinds of aggressive, perilous circumstances."
Within a minute of handcuffing House, his attorney says the officers realized their mistake. An officer carrying a notepad with the correct license plate number notified fellow officers that the license plates on House’s car didn’t match; another officer walked around to the back of House’s vehicle to check the plates and shouted, "F**k!"
Officers uncuffed House, and one officer is seen on bodycam footage admitting to him, "I f---ed this up."
Despite acknowledging the error, House's attorney alleges the officers acted unreasonably and disproportionately, driven by racial bias, since he is a Black man. They say the real suspects in the reported crime were still in the area and allowed to remain a threat to the community.
House, who lives in Downers Grove, is a longtime resident of the western suburbs.
"You can imagine what Derrick was thinking in those moments, ‘If I make the wrong move, what’s going to happen to me?’" Provenzale said.
Police remove handcuffs, explain the situation
Once Woodridge officers realized they had the wrong person, House was removed from a squad car and his handcuffs were removed.
An officer then attempted to explain to House why he was detained.
"We're taking you out of the handcuffs and letting you go," the officer said. "Oswego PD had a shooting… the car is the same as yours… the plates match (but) two of them are off. That's why you were placed in handcuffs. We thought you were the guy."
House is heard responding, "Nah," while shaking his head. "This is f---ing ridiculous. I've been out here for 15 f---ing years and never have I once in my life… that sh-t is (unacceptable)… I'm a f---ing upstanding citizen. My kids go to school here. I'm well respected. That sh-t is wrong dude. You don't f---ing do that."

Derrick House | Provided
What they're saying:
On Friday, Jan. 17, House filed a lawsuit against the Woodridge Police Department and five responding officers, alleging false arrest, excessive force, false imprisonment, and more.
"Derrick is a great guy, a good father, a good husband, and a hardworking member of the community, and he’s been profoundly impacted by what’s happened," Provenzale said.
Provenzale says House has endured emotional turmoil ever since the ordeal.
"Derrick escaped those perilous moments with his life that day, but he has not escaped, and likely never will, the terror and turmoil of those moments," said Patrick Provenzale, House’s attorney.
The law firm is seeking accountability for what it calls a combination of racial profiling and poor police work.
The Woodridge Police Department has maintained its actions that day were reasonable – a claim that House and his attorneys dispute.
On Friday, the Village of Woodridge released the following statement to FOX 32 Chicago:
"While we respect the legal process and the right of individuals to pursue their grievances through the courts, we wish to clarify the context surrounding the incident.
On the day in question, our officers were responding to a highly volatile situation involving individuals suspected of possessing firearms, slashing tires, and discharging a weapon. Given the immediate danger posed by these individuals, officers acted based on information available at the time, which led to the stop of a vehicle that, unfortunately, was not the one they were specifically seeking.
While we deeply regret any distress or inconvenience caused to the occupant of the vehicle involved, our officers acted under the assumption that they were intervening in an emergency, with the safety of the community at the forefront of their actions. This was a decision made in good faith, with the intention of preventing further harm.
We are committed to transparency and accountability in all matters, including this incident, and will defend this new lawsuit. Our priority remains ensuring the safety and security of all individuals in our community, while also ensuring our officers are equipped with the appropriate training and guidance to handle challenging situations with professionalism.
We ask for understanding as we navigate this process and remain dedicated to upholding the trust and safety of the public we serve."
FOX 32 Chicago asked the Woodridge Police Department if any of the officers involved in the incident were disciplined for their actions but did not receive a response to that question.
What's next:
The lawsuit seeks damages for emotional distress, harm to House’s reputation, and trauma endured by him and his family.
House’s legal team at Ekl, Williams & Provenzale LLC also hopes to send a broader message to law enforcement about accountability and the need for better practices.
The Source: The information in this article was provided by the Woodridge Police Department and the law firm Ekl, Williams & Provenzale LLC.