Relatives of a Black man shot and killed by a Kansas City police officer in 2019 filed a lawsuit on Monday (June 28) against the city’s police department and white police officer.
According to ABC News, a lawsuit filed on behalf of Cameron Lamb’s four children accuses detective Eric DeValkenaere of violating Lamb’s civil rights. Lamb was fatally shot after DeValkenaere ran onto Lamb’s property without a warrant and shot the 26-year-old father as he sat in a pickup truck.
The lawsuit is seeking more than $10 million against the City police department and DeValkenaere, who has been on suspension for over a year and awaiting trial for first-degree involuntary manslaughter charges.
Court documents say that on December 3, 2019, police were investigating a disturbance involving Lamb’s truck that took place earlier that day when they entered Lamb’s backyard. DeValkenaere told investigators he fired his weapon, claiming Lamb pointed a gun at the other officer.
An investigation into Lamb’s death said that his left arm was hanging out of the truck and a gun was found under his hand. His family and prosecutors refute the claims, stating Lamb was right-handed and did not have full use of his left hand due to an injury he sustained in 2015.
The lawsuit also accuses Police Chief Rick Smith of assigning one of DeValkenaere’s former supervisors to conduct the investigation into the shooting.
Lamb’s family has sought answers into his killing, meeting with former president Donald Trump last summer with other families of people killed by police. The victim’s children are being represented by S. Lee Merritt.
Reading about Black trauma can have an impact on your mental health. If you or someone you know need immediate mental health help, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor. These additional resources are also available:
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255
The National Alliance on Mental Illness 1-800-950-6264
The Association of Black Psychologists 1-301-449-3082
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America 1-240-485-1001
For more mental health resources, click HERE.
Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.