Bumbling US cops who raided a medical diagnostics center thinking it was a cannabis farm got a gun stuck to the powerful magnets of an MRI machine, a California lawsuit has alleged.

The owners of the facility are claiming damages against the Los Angeles Police Department for an operation their lawyers describe as “nothing short of a disorganized circus.”

Their lawsuit details how a SWAT team swarmed Noho Diagnostic Center after the squad’s leader persuaded a magistrate to issue a search warrant.

Officer Kenneth Franco drew on his “twelve hours of narcotics training” and discovered the facility was using more electricity than nearby stores, the lawsuit said.

“Officer Franco, therefore, concluded (the facility) was cultivating cannabis, disregarding the fact that it is a diagnostic facility utilizing an MRI machine, X-ray machine and other heavy medical equipment – unlike the surrounding businesses selling flowers, chocolates and children’s merchandise,” the suit said.

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  • floofloof@lemmy.caEnglish
    0·
    2 months ago

    It gets worse:

    Instead of seeking expert advice on how to retrieve the weapon, one officer decided to activate the emergency shutdown button.

    “This action caused the MRI’s magnet to rapidly lose superconductivity, leading to the evaporation of approximately 2,000 liters of helium gas and resulting in extensive damage to the MRI machine,” the suit said.

    The officer then retrieved his gun, but left a magazine full of bullets on the floor of the MRI office, the suit says.

    • catloaf@lemm.eeEnglish
      0·
      2 months ago

      a magazine full of bullets

      I know this is just the reporter’s ignorance, but I’m imagining a magazine full of bullets, no cases, powder, or ever primers.

      • Dave2@lemmy.blahaj.zone
        0·
        2 months ago

        Forgive my ignorance but isn’t a bullet made up by those things? Why would they need to mention the components of the bullet for it to make sense?