Arvada Settles for $2M After Police Kill Pregnant Woman in Mistaken Identity Case

Arvada has agreed to pay $2 million to settle a lawsuit after police mistakenly killed a pregnant woman in 2021

Arvada Settles for $2M After Police Kill Pregnant Woman in Mistaken Identity Case
Arvada Settles for $2M After Police Kill Pregnant Woman in Mistaken Identity Case

Arvada: The city has decided to pay $2 million to settle a lawsuit over the tragic police shooting of a pregnant woman. This incident happened back in 2021 when officers mistook her for a shoplifting suspect.

Destinee Thompson, a 27-year-old mother of three, was killed while driving away from the police. Her family filed the lawsuit in 2023, seeking justice for her and her unborn child.

The city settled the case in July, and it was confirmed recently. An Arvada police detective mentioned that the settlement was finalized due to some complexities with Thompson’s estate.

Interestingly, the district attorney found that the officer’s actions were legal, and no criminal charges were filed against him. The city, however, did not admit any wrongdoing.

Thompson’s attorney argued that she was innocent and had no connection to the shoplifting incident. He emphasized that she was wrongfully killed by law enforcement.

On that fateful day, police thought Thompson was the armed suspect they were looking for. They surrounded her car, broke a window, and opened fire when she panicked and tried to drive away.

Officers were responding to a report of a woman who had stolen items from a Target store. A witness had followed the actual suspect to a nearby motel, but it wasn’t Thompson.

When police confronted her, she explained that she wasn’t the person they were after and even pointed out where the suspect was staying. But despite her cooperation, things escalated quickly.

Thompson had two outstanding warrants and ran toward her van. Officers decided to detain her, even though she didn’t match the suspect’s description.

As she got into her van, officers surrounded her and shouted for her to get out. One officer smashed a window, and in the chaos, Thompson drove away. That’s when shots were fired.

Only one of the shots hit her, tragically killing both her and her unborn child. The district attorney later stated that the officers acted within their rights, but many in the community are calling for better policing.

Thompson’s attorney believes that this settlement shows the need for accountability in law enforcement. He stated that she should still be alive today.

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