Police Shooting Death Of Immigrant Suspect Prompts Federal Lawsuit Against San Francisco, Police Chief
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)— Family members of a Guatemalan immigrant shot and killed by police earlier this year are the plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit filed against San Francisco and Police Chief Greg Suhr on Friday.
Police were called out to Folsom and 24th streets the night of February 26th on a disturbance call. There they found 20-year-old Amilcar Perez-Lopez armed with a knife. Chief Suhr told reporters at that time that Lopez had lunged at officers and that they had no choice but to open fire.
Family attorney Arnoldo Casillas said an independent autopsy that revealed the young man was shot multiple times in the back, which indicates Perez-Lopez was fleeing police at the time and not lunging at officers.
Casillas said the police are trying to cover up what really happened.
"This is an absolutely unjustified homicide," said Casillas. "When Amilcar's parents asked for justice, this is the justice they're talking about," Casillas said.
Matt Dorsey from the city attorney's office said it would be premature to comment on any of the legal allegations. He did say the evidence so far indicates that it was an appropriate use of force.