A Sheffield resident is suing the city for compensatory damages after she claims four officers broke into her home and held her at gunpoint before realizing they were at the wrong address.

On Dec. 30, 2024, around 6:30 p.m., Katherine Allen, 19, was home in her pajamas when officers broke down her door without knocking, without announcing themselves as the police, and without presenting a warrant, the complaint alleges.

Upon entry, two of the officers immediately drew their service weapons on Allen, it continues.

“[Allen] was falsely imprisoned at gun point, forced to keep her hands up while they searched [her] home with no authority and never presented a warrant or other Order allowing any search,” the complaint reads.

“Finally, after [she] identified herself with [her] driver’s license, they realized they had invaded the wrong home.”

Allen says she was never shown any warrant or documentation identifying the police officers and has not received an apology or an offer to fix the damages to her home from the police or the city since the incident.

The suit demands compensatory and punitive damages in the amount of $300,000 for trespassing with insult, false imprisonment, and violating Allen’s Fourth Amendment rights which protect her from unreasonable search and seizure.

“Since that evening, I have had a fear of being in the vicinity of a police vehicle or a police officer,” Allen wrote in her statement.

“I have had trouble sleeping and the incident caused me post-traumatic stress disorder, mental anguish, emotional distress and loss of enjoyment of life to the point that I am now taking medication to alleviate these symptoms.”

The city has three weeks to respond to the pending lawsuit or they have to file a motion for default of judgement, according to court records.

Efforts to reach Sheffield representatives were not immediately successful.