Manuel Mata, a resident of Texas, has filed a lawsuit against a Fort Worth police officer, alleging violations of his constitutional rights. The complaint was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas on February 4, 2026, with Matthew Krueger named as the defendant.
The incident in question occurred on February 4, 2024, when Mata was walking through downtown Fort Worth. According to the complaint, Officer Krueger began following Mata due to his known activities as a First Amendment auditor who films police interactions. The situation escalated when Krueger allegedly drew his firearm and pointed it at Mata without any provocation or reasonable cause. Mata claims he was not involved in any criminal activity and did not resist arrest; rather, he was targeted because of his previous protected activities under the First Amendment. The complaint further states that Krueger’s actions were motivated by animus towards Mata for filming police officers and filing complaints against Krueger with the Fort Worth Police Department.
Mata’s lawsuit accuses Officer Krueger of excessive force, unlawful arrest, and First Amendment retaliation under Title 42 U.S.C. § 1983. He asserts that Krueger unlawfully seized him using excessive physical force without legal justification and arrested him without probable cause. Additionally, Mata contends that Krueger’s actions were intended to punish him for exercising his First Amendment rights and to deter future expressions of free speech.
The plaintiff is seeking various forms of relief from the court. These include compensatory damages for emotional distress and other non-economic losses, punitive damages to penalize Officer Krueger’s conduct, and reimbursement for attorney fees and costs associated with the case. Furthermore, Mata requests declaratory relief to affirm his rights and prevent similar incidents in the future.
Representing Manuel Mata are attorneys Mark J. Streiff from Pantheon Legal Group PLLC based in Fort Worth, Texas, and Edward Milo Schwab from Ascend Counsel LLC in Denver, Colorado (pending pro hac vice admission). The case is under Case ID 4:26-cv-00120-Y.
Source: 426cv120_Manuel_Mata_v_Matthew_Krueger_Complaint_Southern_District_of_Texas..pdf