Attorneys representing the family of a man fatally wounded by police in Miami Gardens earlier this year released a 19 minute dash-cam video of the incident on Wednesday. They say the footage indicates the man was being pursued by police and told to get on the ground before being shot.
Lavall Hall, 25, was killed on Feb. 15, after his mother, Catherine Daniels, called police to address her son’s mental issues. She said that Hall had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and she hoped police would transport him to a mental health facility.
Lawyers say Hall was holding a broom and dressed only in his underpants at the time of incident.
“In the video, you’ll see Lavall runs away from the officers,” an attorney for the family Glen Goldberg said at Wednesday’s news conference, according to ABC News.
Another attorney representing the family said, “The police officers were advised that they were dealing with someone with mental issues,” adding that the police used “excessive force” after Hall ran away from them. The attorney also stated that an officer appears to instruct Hall to get on the “ground or you’re dead” in the video.
Miami Gardens police have declined to comment beyond a written statement Tuesday night that the “City of Miami Gardens released video from the dashboard camera of a city vehicle, as well as the video from the rear camera of a City of Miami Gardens vehicle. The release of these videos represents the Department’s complete response to Ms. Daniels’ request.”
Hall’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit in federal court last month against the city of Miami Gardens. The suit names Miami Gardens police officers Peter Ehrlich and Eddo Trimino.
Lawyers representing the officers say “acted appropriately.”
