What is it like to be Black in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania?
The internet has been asking that question since a video of a white officer detaining a Black teenager went viral. Now the district attorney is blaming Black parents for not watching their kids.
Atlanta Black Star confirmed the officer in the video is Detective Tyson Havens with the Lycoming County District Attorney’s Narcotics Unit.
Havens was featured in two viral videos last week.
In the first clip, Havens is seen following 18-year-old Jessie Lopez Jr. around his neighborhood. The district attorney’s office said he was undercover in the area, looking into a recent series of shootings. The boy’s father believes he was racially profiled because he was wearing a jacket with a hood.
District Attorney Tom Marino called Atlanta Black Star on Tuesday. He said he grew up in the neighborhood where Lopez Jr. was detained.
“In the Black community … there’s no supervision of the kids,” Marino said. “The father’s gone. … Whether in jail because of possession of guns or selling drugs … the mother unfortunately has half a dozen kids, and the father is not around to support them.”
The Lycoming District Attorney’s Office has been working on cracking down on gun violence among young people.
Marino said his office prosecutes teenagers ages 13 to 17 as adults with these charges. He did not respond when our reporter asked if he was referring specifically to Black teenagers.
Marino added that Lopez Jr. was served with a traffic citation after the incident. He maintained the teenager was walking across a busy intersection when Havens approached him.
“The brakes were slammed on, and hey, you almost got yourself killed here,” Marino said. When Atlanta Black Star pointed out that the street appeared quiet, Marino reiterated that the car had to stop for Lopez Jr.
“They’re always wanting to criticize law enforcement up until the point they need law enforcement,” Marino said. It’s unclear if he was speaking generally or specifically about the Black community.
In another TikTok video posted by @djditotok four days ago, Havens is seen walking to his patrol car as someone yells at him.
“Don’t forget we taxpayers, we pay your salary!” the person recording the video said.
“You don’t pay anything for me,” Havens responded.
“Who pays for that?” the person said, referring to the patrol car.
“I work for free,” Havens said.
“Yeah, work for free being corrupt.”
Atlanta Black Star is working to learn the circumstances surrounding that video.
“[That officer] is just a nuisance,” the teenager’s father, Jessie Lopez Sr.Lopez, said. He alleged there are multiple misconduct allegations involving that officer.
Three civil lawsuit has been filed against Tyson Havens. They’ve all been dismissed, according to the district attorney’s office.
Brian Williams filed the first after his arrest in August 2020. He spent more than a year in jail before his charges were dropped. Williams was charged with possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and criminal use of a communication facility.
Williams filed a federal lawsuit alleging false imprisonment and malicious prosecution.
The court determined Havens violated the Fourth Amendment, which protects citizens against “unreasonable searches and seizures.”
Libby Williams filed the next case in January 2021. She accused Havens of assaulting her and her sons, Rocellus Carter, 20, and C.W., 10, according to North Central PA.
According to the complaint, the officers “threatened a ten-year-old boy with death” by throwing flash-bang grenades that left large holes in the interior walls. The illegal raid of their home happened in September 2020.
North Central PA reported that Williams’ attorney claims officers acted with “racial animus” while unlawfully arresting her and her sons.
No criminal charges were filed in the incident.
Edward James Nicholas filed the last complaint in October 2025. He accused Havens of planting evidence inside his home during an investigation.
Nicholas accused Havens of failing to warn him before officers entered his house. He also accused Havens of pointing an AR-15 rifle at his face and of threatening him with lethal force.
When asked about the civil complaints against Havens, Marino reiterated that all the cases have been dismissed.
“It happened before I got here; I’ve only been here two years,” he said.
Atlanta Black Star attempted to contact Havens but has not heard back.
