PHOENIX — The mother of a man killed in an officer-involved shooting in Phoenix in November 2022 has filed a notice of claim against the city and police department for what the claim calls his “wrongful death and murder.”
The claim was filed on Tuesday by the mother of Leontae Kirk, 29, who was shot and killed at a Phoenix strip mall on Nov. 2, 2022.
Police said officers were called to the strip mall, in the area of 37th Avenue and McDowell Road, after an individual called authorities to report that a man had pulled a gun on him.
Police said when officers arrived on scene, they found several people armed with guns in some sort of altercation. Kirk was shot and killed during the incident. In the original release, police said, “the officers saw one of the men shooting his gun at others and this was when the officer-involved shooting occurred.”
The release went on to say:
“After the shooting, officers moved up and used a less-lethal tool in order to encourage the suspect to show his hands. After no response, the officers moved up and provided aide until the fire department arrived. The suspect was pronounced deceased on scene. A gun was located near the suspect.”
Those named in the suit are Phoenix Police Department, the City of Phoenix, Chief Michael Sullivan, and various other individual police officers with the department.
The notice of claim alleges negligence and violation of Kirk’s civil rights which resulted “in the murder and wrongful death” of Kirk by those named in it.
The full lawsuit can be read below:
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