The children of a man fatally shot by law enforcement responding to a kidnapping call sued Los Angeles County and one of its sheriff’s deputies Thursday, alleging the use of deadly force was “unreasonable under the circumstances.”
Dana Malik Young, 47, was shot to death by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Kevin Walker on Oct. 15, near West 108th Street and South Vermont Avenue in Westmont, close to Woodcrest Elementary School, according to the complaint for civil rights violations filed in Los Angeles federal court.
An LASD spokeswoman said the department does not comment on pending litigation.
In a news release issued after the shooting, LASD claimed Young kidnapped a woman at gunpoint, forcing her into his silver SUV in the Vermont Vista area of South Los Angeles, making her take off her clothes.
At one point, Young allegedly fired on a friend of the victim who tailed the SUV before calling police, as well as shooting at another occupied vehicle. The woman ultimately escaped out the rear door of the SUV, according to the release.
After crashing the vehicle and running toward deputies, Young was killed by a deputy later identified as Walker, who said he thought he saw Young raise a firearm. The deputy fired eight rounds from less than six feet away, according to a summary provided on the LASD website.
What Young was holding was a black COVID-19 mask, although a loaded .38-caliber revolver was recovered from under the driver seat of the SUV, according to the summary.
The plaintiffs allege that Walker “issued no warning before firing his weapon, provided no opportunity to Mr. Young to surrender before shooting, and had no justification for the shooting,” according to the suit.
Young was struck by multiple gunshots, including in the back of his head, buttocks and abdomen. Additionally, medical care was delayed, which caused Young “extreme physical and emotional pain and suffering, and contributed to his death,” plaintiffs allege in the suit.
“LASD’s supervisory and managerial officers were aware that defendant Walker and other deputies assigned to his station had dangerous propensities for abusing their authority and using excessive force,” the lawsuit alleges.
Between 2016 and May of last year, Walker was involved in use-of-force incidents against a jail inmate at Pitchess Detention Facility and a motorist during a traffic stop, the suit alleges. In both incidents, according to the plaintiffs, Walker was not reprimanded.
The motorist, Christopher Bailey, has filed his own federal civil rights lawsuit against LASD and several deputies, alleging he was “viciously beaten” during a traffic stop because of his skin color.