Support a Black Nigerian Medical Student Wrongfully Detained, Arrested & Charged Following MedTrax Nightlife Event at Avalon Social (Pittsburgh, PA) During AMEC 2026 Weekend
We are raising funds to support our friend, a Black medical student and AMEC conference attendee, who was wrongfully detained and subjected to excessive force by security and police on the morning of April 5th, around ~2:00AM ET outside of Avalon Social, at the “MedTrax Night Off Call: Fete Gala”.
What should have been a night of community, celebration, and connection quickly turned into a traumatic and harmful experience.
The event was oversold and overcrowded, with hundreds of attendees still waiting in lines stretching down the street as late as 1:00 AM. By the time the event ended around 2:00 AM, people were being aggressively rushed out of the venue while long entry lines still remained outside.
As attendees tried to exit, seeking cover from the rain, and others waiting to enter attempted to understand what was happening, the situation was not managed in a calm or organized way. Witnesses describe a chaotic and forceful dispersal, with security shouting, pushing, punching, and physically handling attendees, particularly over 30+ women near the front of the crowd. And it was reported a male attendee was also seen being aggressively taken to the ground.
While exiting, she witnessed this treatment and calmly spoke up, calling out the behavior and advocating for safety, stating that security should not be “hitting girls.” In response, she was physically assaulted, struck multiple times and thrown into a barrier by a security officer, alongside another woman.
Security then called for police intervention, which further escalated the situation. Despite not posing a threat and not resisting, she was singled out, forcefully detained, handcuffed, and taken away in a police vehicle. Witnesses recall and video evidence support that she complied once detained, yet was handled with unnecessary aggression. Others who attempted to ask questions or support her were ignored, screamed at, and attacked. She was not Mirandaized, given function tests, nor told the reasoning of why she was detained. Following her arrest, no police report was filed at the time, and she was held for over 24 hours without proper processing. She is now facing two charges, despite video footage and multiple witness accounts supporting her innocence.
Even more concerning, multiple attendees reported seeing individuals physically injured during the incident, including a woman on the ground with visible blood and scratches, reinforcing the severity of what occurred.
The venue has not cooperated in identifying the security officer who delivered the inciting blows to her and the crowd and has withheld relevant footage, despite acknowledging that such footage exists and may support her case. Additionally, there are numerous accounts describing unsafe conditions throughout the night, including overcrowding, long lines, and poor crowd management that contributed to the escalation.
This experience has been deeply traumatic, physically, emotionally, and professionally. As a future physician, she has dedicated her life to serving others, yet found herself in a situation where her own safety and dignity were compromised.
There has been a lack of meaningful accountability and support from those responsible for how this event was managed. As a result, she is now facing an overwhelming burden, legal, financial, and emotional, simply for speaking up.
We are seeking justice for her, and support to cover the significant costs she now faces, including legal representation, court and county fees, potential litigation, therapy and psychiatric care, and repeated cross-country travel as this case progresses.
We are asking for your support, not only through donations, but by sharing this widely. Please help us reach AMEC attendees, physicians, community advocates, legal organizations, and leaders who can stand with her in ensuring these unjust charges are addressed and that she receives the support she deserves.
She should not have to carry this alone.