PATERSON, N.J. (AP) - An unarmed man who was shot in the stomach outside a New Jersey police station is suing the city for over $30 million in damages.
A federal lawsuit says Paterson resident Larry Bouie was outside police headquarters in October 2016 when he was shot in the stomach by a police officer whose name has not been released.
The lawsuit claims the officer used excessive force and that another nearby officer, who did not fire, failed to render aid. It also accuses the city of failing to properly train the officers.
People were interested in these podcasts
Paterson City attorney Domenick Stampone said he has received the lawsuit and it is under preliminary review.
“The city is of the opinion our personnel acted well within their authority and we are ready to defend it,” Stampone said.
The lawsuit says Bouie didn’t threaten the officers or do anything illegal before the shooting, which his two children witnessed.
NJ.com reports (https://bit.ly/2sTdaFg ) the names of the two female officers have not been made public, despite protests from Black Lives Matter.
The lawsuit says the shooting might have been captured on video had the Paterson Police Department not declined $10,000 in state funding for body cameras. It says the department rejected the funds because it didn’t have a means to store footage.
Bouie’s attorney, Kaitlin Nares, is asking for a jury trial.
___
Information from: NJ.com, https://www.nj.com
Please read our comment policy before commenting.