Suit: Chicago Area Cop Wrongly Killed Man Who Tried To Steal Meat
(CBS) -- The widow of an East Chicago man is suing a Lansing police officer and asking for more than $1 million in damages in the death of her husband, who was shot by police on his 43rd birthday late last month.
Last Thursday, May 26, was the birthday of Warren Harding Christian III.
His widow's federal wrongful-death lawsuit says Christian went to a store in Lansing and tried to steal some meat "to feed his mother and family."
The lawsuit says a police officer tried to stop Christian and in the struggle, the officer's gun went off, injuring the officer.
Christian ran and was shot and killed by another Lansing police officer.
The widow's attorney, Gregory Kulis, says it's not clear if Christian had a gun when he was shot.
"The one thing that appears to be consistent is that I don't believe the Lansing police department has indicated that he pointed a weapon or threatened to kill or shot at the officer who ultimately shot and killed him," Kulis says.