Police knew unarmed man was mentally ill before fatally shooting him, lawsuit says
The Fresno BeeAug 25, 2018
Anyka Harris has sued the city of Tulare, its police department and the officers who shot her 27-year-old son,
In the lawsuit, Harris' lawyers,
The lawyers are seeking damages in
The shooting of Reedom, a former
People who knew Reedom said he had been diagnosed with schizophrenia. During the protest in March, protesters carried signs that said "Justice for Jontell" and "Treat the Ill, Not Kill the Ill."
Police said officers were responding to a 911 call of an assault on a bus driver when they came across Reedom at
Because Reedom refused to surrender, an officer used a Taser on him, police said. The video shows Reedom fighting with an officer, who swings a baton at Reedom while another officer uses pepper spray on him before several shots are fired.
After the shooting, interim Police Chief
The lawsuit says the
In addition, the officers failed to warn Reedom that deadly force was going to be used.
After Reedom was shot, the lawsuits says, the officers failed to timely summon medical care or permit medical personnel to treat him. The delay of medical care was a contributing cause to Reedom's death, the lawsuit says.
Reedom's death certificate says he suffered multiple gunshot wounds; his immediate cause of death was from a gunshot wound to his head. The death certificate also says the killing was "a justifiable homicide by a peace officer."
Tulare police Capt.
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