Executive Summary
- Attorney Todd Flood plans to file a wrongful death suit against Washtenaw County deputies.
- The deceased was a Navy veteran; the attorney claims the shooting was a result of mistaken identity.
- Reports indicate a discrepancy between the 911 description of the suspects and the man who was killed.
- Deputies allege the suspect attempted to ram vehicles during a pursuit, though the family disputes the necessity of lethal force.
An attorney representing the family of a man fatally shot by Washtenaw County deputies announced plans to file a wrongful death lawsuit in the coming weeks, alleging the incident was a case of mistaken identity involving excessive force. Attorney Todd Flood stated that the deceased was a Navy veteran in his 30s with a steady job and no prior criminal history.
According to Flood, the shooting stemmed from a chaotic sequence of events that began with a 911 call reporting two Black men brandishing a handgun. The man who was killed was white, and initial reports falsely indicated he was in possession of a shotgun. The identity of the deceased is being withheld by the family until after his funeral services are concluded.
The incident involved a vehicular pursuit during which the suspect allegedly drove back and forth in an apparent attempt to ram sheriff’s vehicles. While acknowledging the erratic behavior, Flood argued that these actions did not justify the use of lethal force. "We can’t explain the fleeing and eluding, but more importantly, we can show that, through our experts anyway, that this was a totally improper shooting and assassination of this young man," Flood said.
Washtenaw County Corporate Counsel declined to comment on the matter, citing the ongoing investigation and pending litigation. The case raises significant questions regarding the disparity between the dispatch descriptions and the individual encountered by law enforcement.
Investigative and Legal Trajectory
As the family prepares for civil litigation, the focus of the inquiry will likely center on the deputies’ adherence to use-of-force protocols during high-speed pursuits and vehicular assaults. Civil proceedings often run parallel to internal and criminal investigations, scrutinizing whether the perceived threat at the moment of the shooting justified the lethal response under qualified immunity standards. It is important to note that any allegations regarding the suspect’s conduct during the pursuit or the deputies’ actions remain subject to investigative verification, and all involved parties are presumed innocent of criminal wrongdoing until proven guilty in a court of law.
