Former Charlotte Fire Department battalion chief sues city

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A former Charlotte Fire Department battalion chief is suing the city of Charlotte.

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Willie Summers just became the fire chief in Asheboro, but he spent more than 30 years in Charlotte.

He claims he was discriminated against and overlooked for promotions because he's black.

Summers' attorney filed a 78-page civil lawsuit Tuesday claiming promotional processes were manipulated and weren't based on merit.

The lawsuit also claims Summers was retaliated against because he pushed for equal opportunities for African-American firefighters.

The wrongs happened under former Chief Jon Hannan but haven't changed with new leadership, according to the lawsuit.

[New Charlotte fire chief ready to tackle department's issues]

“The current fire chief had the opportunity to do this right and hasn't done it,” Summers’ attorney, Meg Maloney, said. “So, whatever his intentions are: Words are one thing; actions are another.”

Channel 9 tried to contact CFD Tuesday but we have not heard back from officials.

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