HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — The family of a man fatally shot by a Connecticut police officer as he tried to flee in a stolen car while being attacked by a police dog has filed a wrongful death lawsuit and called Wednesday for a federal civil rights investigation of the department.
The mother and sister of Mike Alexander-Garcia Jr. joined their lawyers at a news conference, criticizing the officer’s actions and alleging racial profiling by West Hartford police in the deadly confrontation in August 2023. They said they are seeking justice and accountability.
“To the officer who took my son’s life, you can’t comprehend the pain and loss you have inflicted on our family,” his mother, Jacqueline Garcia, said in a statement. “I hope that through this tragedy there can be reflection and change so that no other family endures the heartache we are experiencing.”
The lawsuit filed in state court last week names West Hartford Officer Andrew Teeter, the police department and the town, alleging violations of Alexander-Garcia’s constitutional rights, state laws and police policies and procedures. Lawyers for Alexander-Garcia’s family notified the town that they are seeking damages that could top $75 million.
The shooting remains under investigation by the state inspector general’s office, which reviews all deadly uses of force by police statewide to determine whether criminal charges are warranted.
West Hartford released a statement saying it was waiting for the inspector general’s final report.
“West Hartford is committed to police accountability and transparency,” the town’s corporation counsel, Dallas Dodge, wrote. “A lawsuit at this stage contains unproven allegations, and it is important to note that this matter is still under investigation by the Office of Inspector General.”
Teeter did not return an email seeking comment.
Authorities said the series of events unfolded on Aug. 8, 2023, after a license plate reader alerted police to a stolen car. Officers chased the car, which crashed into two other vehicles and became disabled. Police said they caught another man who was driving the stolen car, while Alexander-Garcia ran away.
Alexander-Garcia, 34, then tried to carjack two vehicles before running into a car tire shop and hopping into a sport utility vehicle that was being serviced, police said.
According to surveillance, dashboard and body-camera video, Teeter ran into the shop and tossed his police dog through the open passenger door window of the SUV, then opened the door and ordered the dog to attack Alexander-Garcia.
The dog bit Alexander-Garcia as he sat in the driver’s seat yelling “Please! Don’t kill me!”
Teeter was in the passenger’s seat with the dog when the SUV backed out of the service bay, turned, glanced off a parked police cruiser and a tree and began to drive off. After yelling “don’t do it” and “I’m going to shoot you” multiple times, Teeter fired several shots into Alexander-Garcia’s back.
The SUV crashed into a utility pole. Lawyers for Alexander-Garcia alleged Teeter fired three of the five shots after the vehicle struck the pole.
“Mike was surrendering to the police when he was shot,” said Peter Bowman, a lawyer with BBB Attorneys representing Alexander-Garcia’s family. “He pleaded for his life to the officer and yet Officer Teeter still chose to shoot him five times.”
Teeter was treated for a broken rib and cuts on his head, while the police dog was not injured, officials said.
The lawsuit alleges Teeter did not issue clear commands to Alexander-Garcia and violated the department policies by throwing the police dog into the SUV and entering the vehicle instead of trying to de-escalate the situation. It also claims Alexander-Garcia’s actions did not warrant the use of deadly force.
In calling for a federal civil rights investigation, Alexander-Garcia’s lawyers referred to annual state reports on traffic stops by police statewide that said West Hartford police pulled over minority motorists at disproportionate rates compared with white motorists. Alexander-Garcia was Hispanic. Teeter’s race and ethnicity have not been disclosed.
Ken Krayeske, another lawyer for Alexander-Garcia’s family, said the police department hasn’t taken adequate actions to address the traffic stop disparities despite the data. He said official requests for a federal probe have been made to the U.S. Attorney General’s office and the Department of Justice.
While the state reports highlight disparities in traffic stops by race and ethnicity, they note the data does not provide sufficient evidence of racial profiling.
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