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Attorneys, family of man killed by Houston police announce federal lawsuit
The family of a man killed by Houston police officers in February 2022 has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the City of Houston and the four officers who shot and killed Charion Lockett.
HOUSTON - The mother of a man who was shot and killed by Houston police officers in February has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the City of Houston and the four HPD officers who killed her son.
Attorneys Randall Kallinen and Taft Foley, who are representing Shanette Guidry Lewis, say the suit comes after a lack of transparency, claiming the Houston Police Department is refusing to release records on the shooting death of Charion Lockett.
BACKGROUND: Houston police: Officers fatally shot robbery suspect in north Harris County
On Feb. 7, Houston police officers went to a home in the 800 block of Oak West Drive to execute a felony warrant for aggravated robbery.
According to HPD, Lockett was in a vehicle outside the home when officers arrived. They allege that before officers could get out of their cars, Lockett began to shoot at them multiple times. Four officers returned fire and killed Lockett. No officers were injured in the incident.
Ten days after the deadly shooting, HPD released body camera footage of the event.
SEE YOURSELF: Body camera footage released after robbery suspect was fatally shot in north Harris Co.
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Family believes Houston police murdered their son
Body-worn camera video was released of the Houston police shooting that killed Charion Lockett, who police say was an aggravated robbery suspect. Family members believe he was murdered by police.
Attorneys for Lockett's family say the released footage was "cherry-picked". They say the video does not show Lockett, who had a concealed carry license, shooting first or whether he fired at all.
The attorneys also claim HPD fired the first shots.
"This is the Harding Street Raid all over again," said Kallinen, "The City promised transparency after George Floyd but it's the same as always."
The $20 million lawsuit filed on Wednesday names the City of Houston, HPD Chief Troy Finner and Officers Devin Inocencio, Victor Villarreal, Peter Carroll, and Shaun Houlihan as defendants.
The suit alleges that Torrey Brown, a known criminal, had accused Lockett of aggravated armed robbery. A warrant that was initially rejected by a judge was issued based on Brown's allegations, but Lockett, who had no criminal or arrest record, was never interviewed or questioned by police prior to the shooting.
Attorneys say Lockett's 4th and 14th Amendment rights were violated in the case.
The suit also seeks damages for the anxiety, fear, anger and depression Guidry Lewis has suffered since her son was killed.
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