Family of Mexican Farmworker Killed by US Police File Lawsuit

Relatives of Antonio Zambrano-Montes, the unarmed Mexican immigrant farmworker who was shot and killed by police in Washington state, filed Thursday a federal lawsuit alleging that his killing was unjustified.

“Antonio Zambrano was unjustifiably and wrongly shot and killed by the three Defendant City of Pasco police officers, denying him his civil rights as protected by federal law,” family attorney George Trejo wrote in the complaint.

The family is seeking more than US$25 million in damages.

The death of Zambrano-Montes, which was caught on video, set off a storm of controversy in the United States where a number of high-profile police-involved killings have drawn attention to the treatment of people of color by police.

Video footage shows Zambrano-Montes fleeing from police. He then appears to stop, face the officers and half raise his arms before being shot.

The shooting reflected a pattern of unconstitutional practices, excessive force and poor training of the city’s officers, the complaint stated.

Police said they shot Zambrano after he pelted them with rocks. One of the officers said he felt compelled to shoot because he feared police or members of the public would be injured.

Officers further alleged that Zambrano goaded them into shooting him, saying, “No, kill me, bitch, kill me, kill me.”

Trejo rejected those accusations, saying in July that the videos captured audio as well and that Zambrano cannot be heard saying those words.

Police admitted that Zambrano-Montes was unarmed when he was fired upon by police 17 times. An autopsy later revealed that he was hit by as many as seven bullets, including two in the back, contradicting earlier police claims that he was not shot in the back.

The city of Pasco, its police department and police chief and the three officers are defendants in the lawsuit.

City Manager Dave Zabell said in a statement that Pasco did not comment on pending litigation.

In an email to Reuters, Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney Shawn Sant said the office was still reviewing, seven months on from the time of the incident, whether criminal charges are warranted against the officers.

Sant has been accused by Latino advocacy groups of having a close relationship with police he has been asked to step aside but refused.