Family sues over fatal shooting at Walmart

Associated Press

CINCINNATI

The family of a black man fatally shot by a white police officer as he held an air rifle inside a Walmart filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday charging negligence and violation of the man’s civil rights.

The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Dayton against the city of Beavercreek, the two Beavercreek officers involved, the police chief and Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

John Crawford III was shot Aug. 5 inside the store in the Dayton suburb. Police responded after a 911 caller reported Crawford was waving what appeared to be a firearm.

A grand jury concluded the shooting was justified.

“All we want is justice for John Crawford,” the family’s attorney, Michael Wright, said at a news conference Tuesday.

Crawford’s family has said previously that it was “incomprehensible” that officers weren’t indicted. The family has sought a federal investigation to see if race was a factor, and the U.S. Justice Department has been reviewing the shooting.

Crawford’s death also has drawn demonstrations from protesters criticizing the shootings of young black men by police around the country, with some suggesting race was a factor.

Wright said the criminal-justice system so far has refused to hold the officers accountable and that it is necessary for the civil- justice system to do so. He said Crawford was just shopping and talking on his cellphone when he was shot.

“John Crawford did nothing wrong,” Wright said.

The police officer who fatally shot 22-year-old Crawford has said the man didn’t respond to repeated commands to drop the weapon and turned toward officers in an aggressive manner.

A Wal-Mart spokeswoman said Tuesday that the Bentonville, Ark.-based company takes its stores’ safety and security very seriously.