Submitted by Aiken Jacobsen on
Police officers are involved in some dangerous situations and their safety is important along with the safety of those that they "serve and protect." There are certainly some instances in which an officer is allowed to draw their weapon, but in others it may be considered excessive force.
Over one year ago, a Sacramento officer used deadly force in a situation that killed a 24-year-old resident. In this instance, the fatality should never have occurred said the victim's family in a wrongful death lawsuit filed over the incident.
According to the lawsuit, the victim was a 24-year-old patient suffering from a mental disorder. His father said that he was forced to witness his son being shot by the officer, but that was not the worst of it.
The father states in the complaint that the officer did little to help and actually refused to give assistance to the injured man as he lie on the ground with the visibly life-threatening injuries.
The complaint said that although the officer was the one who pulled the trigger on the weapon, he was not the only one responsible for the fatality. According to the complaint, it was the department itself that was also responsible due to "practices, policies and inadequate training in responding appropriately to citizens with diagnosed mental illnesses."
When the death of a loved one occurs, the victim's family is left to struggle with the "why" behind the fatality. An attorney can help sort out the details as well as hold those responsible for their actions when necessary.
Source: The Sacramento Bee, "Wrongful-death suit filed in deputy's shooting of mental patient," Denny Walsh, July 5, 2013
