The family of Akai Gurley, an unarmed man who was killed by a NYPD officer, is planning to file a $50 million lawsuit against New York City.
The mother of his two-year-old duaghter, Kimberly Ballinger, filed a claim against the NYPD, the city, Landau and Liang and filed a notice of claim against the New York City Housing Authority.
“The shooting death of Akai by the police was reckless and should not have happened,”Ballinger said at a news conference. “Akai was a great father and a good person who didn’t deserve to die like he did.”
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While patrolling the Louis H. Pink Houses in Brooklyn, officers Peter Liang and Shaun Landau were walking down a “dimly lit” staircase when Gurley and his girlfriend, Melissa Butler, entered. Liang accidentally shot Gurley without warning.
[ALSO READ: NYPD Shooting Of An Unarmed Brooklyn Man Ruled A Homicide]
Brooklyn District Attorney Kenneth Thompson is currently investigating the shooting and will present his findings to the grand jury.