A $30 million lawsuit for negligence was filed by the family of a woman who died in a shootout with sheriff’s deputies. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) and Los Angeles County.
The lawsuit was filed after the victim died as a result of a confrontation with the authorities. during a domestic dispute in Lancaster.
On the night of this Saturday, December 23, a vigil was held by family members who remembered Niani Finlayson, 27 years old.
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Her loved ones said the woman had been a victim of domestic violenceand that he was shot to death in front of his 9-year-old daughter while trying to protect her.
The incident occurred on December 4when LASD sheriffs received a call from Finlayson in which she reported that her boyfriend would not leave her alone.
While the phone call was being made, authorities said that screams and noises were heard.
The bailiffs responded to the call in an apartment from the 2100 block of East Avenue J-8, in Lancasterand upon arriving at the site they could hear the sounds of an argument inside.
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According to a report from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, when officers attempted to enter the apartment, Finlayson opened the front door while holding a large kitchen knife..
Finlayson allegedly told agents that “she was going to stab her boyfriend for pressuring her daughter” and, later, the woman approached a nearby area where her boyfriend was sitting.
When deputies entered the property, they said the woman grabbed her partner while holding the knife. in an apparent attempt to stab himwhich led to the shooting involving one of the officers.
Due to the injuries from the gunshots, the woman fell to the ground.
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The authorities identified as Ty Shelton to the sheriff involved in the apartment shooting.
After the shooting, paramedics provided medical care to Finlayson, who was taken to a hospital, where he later died from gunshot injuries.
According to the lawsuit filed by the family, Finlayson contacted the LASD for help because her boyfriend was strangling her and also hurting his daughter.
“Be supposed to we must depend on the law to protect us, or at least try to protect us as best they can, but it seems like they didn’t have a heart. They chose to do something different and devastated the lives of everyone who was affected,” said Finlayson’s mother, Tracy Hall.
The victim’s father, Lamont Finlayson, reiterated that It had been his own daughter who requested help from the authorities.
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“A violent domestic call. They get there, and instead of treating the perpetrator fairly, they turn the tables and she becomes the perpetratorbut in reality he was the victim,” added Lamont Finlayson.
Family attorney representing Finlayson’s family, Bradley Gage, said he can’t understand why a woman who called for help, expecting deputies to protect her, ends with agents chasing her and killing her.
“There was a 9 year old girl who could have been shot dead. “Agents should be trained so that they do not shoot and kill when they do not know who is there or what the environment is,” the lawyer added.
“The Department has not officially received this claim, but take all officer-involved shootings seriously. In an effort to achieve transparency, the Department will release body camera footage of the incident next week, ahead of the required deadline,” LASD said in a statement.
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Authorities mentioned that for any officer-involved shooting, there is a review process, which includes the Office of the Inspector Generalwhere every aspect of the incident is carefully examined and evaluated to see if the Department’s policies and procedures were followed.
“In addition, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, Justice System Integrity Division, is conducting a legal analysis to determine whether criminal charges will be filed and Whether the shooting was legally justified. “The Department is deeply committed to protecting our diverse communities without bias,” the statement added.
No other injuries were reported during this incident.
At the scene of the shooting, deputies recovered a kitchen knife with a blade of approximately 20 centimeters.
If anyone has information about this case, they can contact LASD Homicide detectives at 323-890-5500.
To file a report anonymously, you can call 800-222-8477.
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