KENNESAW, Ga. – Army veteran Matthew Solon has filed suit against three Kennesaw police officers accusing them of fabricating evidence to execute a retaliatory arrest against him.

Out with friends at Mazzy’s Sports Bar in Kennesaw in 2017, Solon says he was approached by a drunk man, Dwight Cooper, who threatened him and his friends with a gun.

Solon says he drew on his military training to disarm Cooper and called 911, according to Boston25news.

When officers arrived, Solon was arrested. Cooper was taken to the hospital.

Both men were charged with a misdemeanor and a felony for possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.

Officer Joshua Hale wrote in his report that when officers arrived on the scene, Solon disobeyed orders and that he told police he took Cooper’s weapon and struck him in the head with it “so he would stay down.”

Solon says this is a lie. He alleges in his lawsuit that the police fabricated the statement so they could arrest him after he criticized their handling of the incident. The charges against Solon were eventually dropped, while the charges against Cooper are pending. 

The federal lawsuit filed this week is seeking a jury trial and damages. 

“I thought I did everything right,” Solon told WSB-TV. “I unloaded the weapon, I eliminated the threat, called the police, gave him medical attention, everything, and when the police arrived they acted like I’m the criminal here.”