Posted on October 17, 2019

Two Brothers Shot by Cop File $25M Lawsuit, Jury Gives Them Nothing

Holly Matkin, Blue Lives Matter, October 15, 2019

A Tacoma jury has determined that an Olympia police officer did not violate two robbery suspects’ constitutional rights when he shot them during a confrontation in 2015.

Brothers Andre Thompson and Bryson Chaplin filed a $25 million lawsuit against the City of Olympia and Olympia Police Officer Ryan Donald in November of 2017, alleging that the officer used excessive force after they tried to steal beer from a Safeway store, KING reported.

The altercation occurred on May 21, 2015, after police received a report that Chaplin hurled a case of beer at a female Safeway employee who confronted him about trying to steal it, according to The Olympian.

Officer Donald later spotted the suspects walking along Cooper Point Road, so he pulled over and ordered them to stop, police said.

Thompson and Chaplin ignored his commands, and took off into the woods on foot.

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The brothers’ attorney, Sunni Ko, acknowledged that Thompson swore at Officer Donaldson and yelled at him to “come at me,” according to the paper.

Thompson then attempted to tackle the officer as Chaplin raised a skateboard over his head and charged towards him, KING reported.

Officer Donald said he was afraid Chaplin would beat him in the head with the skateboard and that Thompson was going to steal his duty weapon, so he opened fire, according to The Olympian.

At least one of the rounds struck Chaplin in the spine, permanently paralyzing him.

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Thompson was shot in the stomach, Teen Vogue reported.

He alleged that he “sustained severe physical and emotional injuries” due to his wounds, The Olympian reported.

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