Chicago injury attorneys representing Natasha Williams say that the off-duty police officer who shot and killed her son, Corey Harris Jr., had acted recklessly and that the city is liable. Williams filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city for last September's shooting, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Harris, who was 17 years old, was a father and a star basketball player at Dyett High School. He was shot on Sept. 11, 2009, following a foot chase in Chicago's Park Manor neighborhood.
The off-duty cop, who was not named in articles about the incident, does not dispute the fact that he shot and killed Harris. But details surrounding the shooting certainly are in dispute.
Police say the officer saw Harris fire shots at someone with a .40-caliber pistol, after which he pursued Harris. According to the lawsuit, however, the officer failed to identify himself as a cop and shot Harris in the back. Although police sources told reporters that a weapon wasn't found with Harris, they eventually found a .40-caliber handgun (but it's not clear where it was found in relation to Harris).
The lawsuit claims Harris never had a weapon.
According to the police, Harris had a gun and was the shooter who got the attention of the off-duty officer, but that he Harris probably ditched the gun during the pursuit. Police sources say that the police officer believed that Harris was still armed when he caught up with him and shot him.
Harris' relatives and his basketball coach expressed disbelief that he could be involved in violence or crime, as reported in an earlier Tribune story. His aunt, Lietka Williams, also described a scenario markedly different than the one told by police:
"He was running scared, because he heard shots. He didn't know it was a police officer behind him."
Ms. Williams is seeking unspecified damages in her suit.
Related Resources:
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BART System to Pay Daughter of Oscar Grant $1.5 Million (FindLaw Injured Blog)
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Wrongful Death - Overview (FindLaw)
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Chicago Injury Lawyers (FindLaw)
