Boy Sues LAPD Officer Who Allegedly Assaulted Him

By Kenrya Rankin Mar 10, 2017

On February 21, video surfaced of off-duty Los Angeles Police Department officer Kevin Ferguson violently grabbing 13-year-old Christian Dorscht and shooting his weapon in the vicinity of the boy and nearby children in Anaheim, California. The incident prompted massive protests, as people called for the officer to be charged with assault. Ferguson has been placed on administrative leave, but has yet been charged with a crime.

Yesterday (March 9), the Los Angeles Times reported that Dorscht and his family filed a lawsuit against Ferguson on February 28. The suit alleges that the officer violated his civil rights, assaulted and falsely imprisoned him and caused him emotional distress.

Following the altercation, Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait expressed concern: “Like many, I am deeply disturbed and frankly angered by what it shows,” he told reporters. “The video shows an adult wrestling with a 13-year-old kid and ultimately firing a gun.… It should never have happened.”

The Los Angeles Police Protective League issued a statement to press about the suit on Wednesday (March 8): “We hope that this lawsuit determines why multiple young adults chose to physically assault a police officer and what the parents of these young adults could have done to teach their children right from wrong.”