The news was confirmed by a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania State Police on Friday, May 10.

The incident occurred on March 2, 2024, when a member of the Pennsylvania State Police, Philadelphia Barracks, initiated a traffic stop on a grey Infiniti sedan for multiple vehicle code violations on I-76 westbound in Philadelphia. Before approaching the driver of the Infiniti, identified as Celena Morrison (51 years old), a green Dodge sedan arrived and parked behind the trooper's vehicle.

The trooper then approached the driver of the Dodge, identified as Darius McLean (35 years old), who became verbally combative and refused to comply with the trooper's demands. The trooper attempted to arrest McLean, who allegedly resisted. It was at this point that Morrison intervened and tried to stop the trooper from arresting her husband.

Both Morrison and McLean were subsequently arrested and charged with resisting arrest, obstruction of justice, disorderly conduct, and other related offenses. They were held for approximately 12 hours before being released. Morrison, who leads Philadelphia's Office of LGBT Affairs and serves as a top aide to Mayor Cherelle Parker, had recorded the arrest fearing for her husband's life. However, her cellphone was allegedly knocked away by the trooper.

Following the arrest and the release of the video on social media, lawyers representing Morrison spoke out, disputing the report from the state police. They claimed that the trooper displayed "warrior" policing tactics and questioned the reason for the stop. Morrison also raised concerns that her race played a role in the targeted arrest, stating, "It's disheartening that as Black individuals, we are all too familiar with the use of the phrase, 'Stop resisting!' as a green light for excessive force by law enforcement."

The couple had stated their intention to file a lawsuit over the incident, while the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office announced their investigation into the matter. As of now, no charging decision has been made pending a thorough investigation.

Morrison, who is transgender, has held her position in the city since 2020, while McLean is the chief operating officer of the William Way LGBT Community Center.

The trooper involved in the incident has since been relieved of duty, although his identity has not been released by officials. This development marks an important step in addressing the concerns raised by the Philadelphia LGBTQ+ community regarding the treatment of its members by law enforcement.