Chicago Officer Is Suing The Family Of The Teen He Allegedly Killed

The Chicago police officer involved in last month’s shooting death of a Black teenager announced Thursday that he will be suing the estate of the deceased man, according to WGN. Officer Robert Rialmo said via his attorney that he will be filing a civil suit against the LeGrier family, citing emotional distress and assault. Rialmo was one of the officers who responded to a domestic violence call placed by LeGrier’s father on the day after Christmas. According to a police statement quoted by Chicagoist, LeGrier was “combative,” when police arrived. One officer fired his gun, and the shots hit LeGrier as well as a bystander, his neighbor Bettie Jones. Both LeGrier and Jones were killed. The LeGrier family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Chicago. LeGrier’s father told the Chicago Sun-Times via his attorney that his son didn’t have a threatening weapon and that “there was no way he was posing a threat to the officer.” The shooting was another example of Chicago’s difficulties with community policing. That very same week, the officer accused in the death of another Black teenager, Jason Van Dyke, pled not guilty on charges of murder. There is no trial date set for Van Dyke.