HOWARD COUNTY, Md. (WBFF) — The family of Alexander LaMorie, a 25-year-old autistic man who was shot and killed during an encounter with Howard County Police earlier this year, has filed a lawsuit in federal court against the county and officers involved in the shooting.
On March 1, around midnight, police responded to the 6400 block of Freetown Road in Columbia after Alexander LaMorie called 911 to report that he was being harassed and blackmailed.
When speaking to police by phone, LaMorie made suicidal statements, authorities said.
Upon arrival, police entered Patuxent Commons, a housing community for adults with autism and disabilities, in an attempt to locate LaMorie.
After not finding him inside, they exited the building and encountered LaMorie approaching them from the parking lot with a knife in his hands.
Officers gave multiple commands ordering LaMorie to drop the knife, but he failed to comply and continued to approach the officers.
Three officers fired shots that struck LaMorie.
Police rendered aid until emergency medical services arrived, but LaMorie was pronounced dead on scene.
A knife was located near LaMorie’s body.
WARNING: This video is graphic and not suitable for all audiences.
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No police officers were injured in the incident.
In July, Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown announced that his office would not file charges.
Now, Brown, Goldstein & Levy, LLP, have filed a lawsuit on behalf of the family.
“Alex’s preventable and senseless fatal shooting has impacted every part of our lives—leaving indelible, enduring trauma and grief. In Alex’s memory, this lawsuit is both a quest for accountability and a way to effect meaningful change,” said Dr. Jill Harrington, Alex’s mother, via a press release.
The suit alleges that LaMorie called 911 for help with a cyber extortion, then talked with police officers on the phone. At that point, he expressed to the officers a risk of self-harm.
The lawsuit said that despite Howard County and its police department knowing that the apartment complex residents could have specialized needs and had training and mental health resources available, the four officers that responded without a coordinated plan or specialized support. It’s alleged that the officers had no tasers.
“Alex’s killing by Howard County police officers was a preventable tragedy, and it was caused by the County’s violation of federal disability law,” said Jamie Strawbridge, partner at Brown, Goldstein & Levy, LLP. “This suit seeks accountability for those failures so that people experiencing disability-related mental health crises receive help—not an unnecessarily escalated, lethal response.”
The suit cites the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, which are federal statutes that prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities.
The Complaint was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland.
This post was originally published on Fox 45 by Sinclair Media Group.
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