Family of man killed by Anchorage police files wrongful death lawsuit

In their wrongful decease lawsuit, lawyers for Kristopher Handy’s family included this video still from an Anchorage Police Department dashboard camera of nan infinitesimal earlier constabulary changeable him connected May 13, 2024, successful beforehand of his flat complex. The lawyers statement that nan shotgun successful Handy’s correct manus was pointed astatine nan crushed erstwhile constabulary opened fire.

The family of an Anchorage man killed by constabulary successful May is suing nan 4 officers who fired astatine him.

The wrongful decease suit is simply a civilian action, revenge Tuesday successful nan U.S. District Court for Alaska against officers Jacob Jones, Jacob Ostolaza, Noel Senoran and James Stineman.

The state’s Office of Special Prosecutions cleared them of criminal wrongdoing past month. Anchorage Police Chief Sean Case said nan section had its ain internal, confidential process underway to reappraisal nan officers’ conduct.

The officers went to Kristopher Handy’s Sand Lake flat analyzable successful consequence to 911 calls astir a home disturbance early connected nan greeting of May 13. A caller warned that Handy was equipped and agitated.

As constabulary approached nan apartment, video recordings show Handy came extracurricular pinch a shotgun successful hand. He ignored constabulary commands to driblet it, yelled an obscenity and strode toward nan police.

Police initially told nan public that Handy had raised nan shotgun toward nan officers earlier constabulary opened fire. But various video recordings show he had nan weapon pointed astatine nan crushed instantly earlier he was killed.

Civil authorities lawyer James Roberts pinch nan patient Palmer Perlstein successful Dallas is connected nan squad representing nan Handy family. The suit he revenge Tuesday doesn’t target nan constabulary section aliases Anchorage’s section government, conscionable nan 4 officers arsenic individuals. But Roberts said Wednesday, “We afloat intend to bring successful nan metropolis arsenic nan lawsuit progresses.”

“The bigger rumor present is that location appears to beryllium a existent nonaccomplishment to train these officers connected erstwhile to usage deadly force,” Roberts said. “That’s thing that’s going to play retired successful nan people of our lawsuit, and why nan metropolis will beryllium brought in. I mean, I’m judge you’re alert location was another constabulary shooting past night.”

Anchorage constabulary killed a 16-year-old woman Tuesday who they say was equipped pinch a weapon successful an apartment. It’s nan constabulary department’s sixth shooting since May, and its 4th fatal one.

“There needs to beryllium a fix, and we’re going to fig retired what that needs to beryllium passim our suit and hopefully unit nan constabulary section to instrumentality those changes,” Roberts said.

The officers did not instantly respond to requests for comment. Roberts said Wednesday they were successful nan process of being served pinch nan lawsuit.

Handy’s family is seeking a assortment of damages, some to punish nan officers and to screen various expenses and losses, though nan suit doesn’t specify a dollar figure.