In Connecticut, a police officer was found justified in using deadly force during an attempted carjacking incident. The state’s Office of Inspector General released a report on Thursday supporting this conclusion, following a thorough investigation into the actions of West Hartford Officer Andrew Teeter.
Officer Andrew Teeter was involved in a fatal shooting on August 8, 2023, in West Hartford. The incident began when police received a report of a stolen vehicle. Law enforcement, utilizing tire-deflation devices, attempted to stop the car, but it continued moving until it crashed. Subsequently, the suspect, Mike Alexander-Garcia, abandoned the vehicle and attempted to commandeer two other occupied cars. When these attempts failed, Alexander-Garcia entered a nearby car service center and got into a Toyota RAV4, where the keys were already in the ignition.
Teeter, pursuing Alexander-Garcia, deployed a police dog into the RAV4 through an open window and entered the vehicle himself. Despite the dog’s attempts to subdue Alexander-Garcia, he ignored commands to stop and continued to drive away recklessly. The inspector general’s report states that Teeter was justified in firing his weapon, having deemed his actions necessary to protect himself and others from perceived danger.
The shooting occurred as Alexander-Garcia drove the vehicle into Officer Teeter’s cruiser, another car, and a stack of tires before finally crashing into a utility pole. The investigation revealed that Teeter fired five rounds into Alexander-Garcia’s torso, which were considered reasonable and justified under the circumstances. Alexander-Garcia was treated on the scene and later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.
Following the tragic event, the family of Alexander-Garcia filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the officer, the West Hartford police, and the town, claiming violations of constitutional rights, state laws, and police procedures. They also called for a federal civil rights investigation, alleging racial profiling played a role in the incident.
The lawyers representing the family expressed their disappointment with the inspector general’s findings. They argue that Alexander-Garcia’s death was unnecessary and the result of overly aggressive police tactics. ‘Had Officer Teeter made different decisions that day, Mike would still be alive,’ the lawyers stated, underscoring their belief that the police should mitigate danger rather than escalate it.
The inspector general’s report concluded that the use of the police dog and the officer’s decision to enter the vehicle were reasonable given the circumstances. However, the family maintains that these actions contributed to the escalation of the situation, resulting in a tragic outcome.
The incident has sparked debate over the actions of law enforcement in high-pressure situations. While the state’s Office of Inspector General has deemed Officer Teeter’s actions justified, the family of the deceased continues to seek justice through legal avenues. The situation highlights the ongoing challenges in balancing law enforcement duties with community safety and the protection of individual rights.
Source: Apnews
