Civil rights attorneys have re-filed a federal lawsuit filed on behalf of a teen left paralyzed from the waist down after he was shot by a Chicago police officer earlier this year, with lawyers arguing that the officer shouldn't have been on the streets in the first place.
Attorneys representing the teen, referred to as A.G. in the lawsuit, say the officer was involved in another shooting in June 2021, which the Civilian Office of Police Accountability is still investigating. They argue that the officer should not have been on patrol when the shooting took place.
"If the city is not going to hold its officers accountable, then the civil justice system will," attorney Brian Eldridge said.
Attorneys named the officer in the shooting, but with no criminal charges filed in the case, NBC 5 will not name the officer, in accordance with station policy.
Lawyers say that A.G. was shot by the officer on May 18, while police were investigating a series of carjackings. The shooting occurred in the parking lot of a West Side gas station. Police say the teen turned toward officers before being shot, but attorneys disputed their narrative in their press conference Wednesday.
"He was unarmed, not a threat to anyone, let alone a deadly threat," Eldridge said.
A.G.'s attorneys say the self-defense claims made by the officer are also questioned in the suit.
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"In his report, the officer said he was shot at first and he fired back in self-defense," Eldridge said. "I can tell you from my viewing of the video, I hear one gunshot."
Andrew Stroth, also representing A.G. in the case, says the 13-year-old is now paralyzed from the waist down, and requires 24/7 care.
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"He can't even go outside without his mom and brothers taking the wheelchair down three flights of stairs," he said. "His reality is a nightmare."
The city of Chicago, and the Chicago Police Department, did not comment on the case due to the pending nature of the litigation, in accordance with policy.
