Victor Moses, a 29-year-old police recruit who lost both of his legs in what he describes as a “barbaric hazing ritual” during training, says he will “always support the police” despite being “permanently disabled” and having “felt what death feels like.”
According to a Daily Mail report, Moses filed a lawsuit last month against the City of Denver and 13 police officers and paramedics, claiming the “fight day” training led to the amputation of his legs.
He described the experience as a “living hell,” involving multiple surgeries and a four-month hospitalization.
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“I felt something I’ve never felt before,” Moses told USA Today. “It’s really hard to explain, like, how it feels like to die, and I’ve never had that, but I felt what death feels like.”
Despite his injuries, Moses remains committed to a career in law enforcement. “I will always support the police. There’s so many good police officers out there,” he said. “Yes, my life was ruined, I was turned permanently disabled. But it doesn’t negate the fact that there are a lot of good cops out there.”
The lawsuit alleges that during the January 6, 2023, training, Moses was repeatedly knocked down and shoved off the mat, causing him to hit his head and lose consciousness.
Despite collapsing multiple times, he was still pressured to continue by officers. Paramedics on-site cleared him to proceed, although it was clearly evident he was unable to stand or walk.
The legal action claims that Moses, who has the sickle cell trait and reported symptoms like low blood pressure and leg cramping, was not given proper medical attention. “If this had been a football game or boxing match, the head injury and loss of consciousness would have ended any continued participation immediately,” his lawyers argue.
The lawsuit also asserts that the training practices, including punching dummies, using padded batons, and wrestling, are part of a violent rite of passage that recruits must endure to be accepted into the force. It highlights that other recruits had suffered injuries, such as a broken nose, before Moses’s drills.
Moses’ lawyers, John Holland and Darold Killmer, claim this training fosters a culture where excessive force is “officially tolerated and indeed culturally expected,” leading to a violent police culture and costly lawsuits. Holland stated, “Fight Day encourages brutality and indifference to the injuries they inflict.”
Both the Denver Police Department and Denver Health, the hospital employing the paramedics, declined to comment on the allegations due to the ongoing litigation. Denver Health have however state their position and emphasized that “safety and well-being is a top priority for Denver Health and its paramedics.”
