PLACENTIA

Thomas Cruz, 25, says he was asleep on the couch early Jan. 6 when police burst into his Atwood home with weapons drawn. Across north Orange County that day, about 200 officers from 18 departments raided 21 homes--17 in Atwood--rounding up suspects in the New Year’s Eve slaying of Judah Seelke, 20, of Anaheim. Seelke was shot in the head after violence erupted at a party in Atwood.

Cruz’s brother Ronnie, 18, was among the eight people arrested in the sweep. Police had already taken three other suspects into custody. Six suspects will be arraigned Friday.

Now, Cruz and 14 other families are serving claims against 13 police agencies. They brought a claim against the Placentia Police Department last week, stating that officers had violated their constitutional rights and civil liberties, said Richard Keller, the attorney representing the 15 families. “If you had a 6-year-old child and placed a gun against that child’s head, wouldn’t you think that would have violated someone’s constitutional rights?” Keller said. “This is what happened in [some of] those homes.”

Based on eyewitness accounts of the Seelke killing, police obtained search warrants for the homes and legally proceeded to serve the warrants, said Placentia police spokesman Matt Reynolds. “It was not a random gang sweep,” he said. “Our officers acted legally and lawfully in the service of 18 search warrants issued by the court.”

The city and the department have 45 days to investigate the claim. After that time, Keller said, the families will file suit.