Like Mistaking Bacon for Eggs, in the Presence of Color Racist Cops Often Confuse Taser w/Gun: White FL Cop Claims He Mistakenly Shot Naked Latino Man in the Back, Paralyzing Him for Life. Suit Filed

From [HERE] A Latino man who was shot in the back by an experienced white police officer filed a lawsuit against the city of Hollywood, the officer, and others on Wednesday, claiming that “my life was wrecked.” Henry Andrews, 50, the officer who is also facing a misdemeanor charge for the shooting in 2021 and Hollywood, Florida are the targets of Michael Ortiz’s unspecified millions of dollars in demands.

In July 2022, Michael called 911 while suffering a mental health emergency. Upon their arrival, as evidenced by surveillance video, Hollywood Police aggressively restrained Michael, placed him on the ground, tased him, and shot him in the back while he was naked and visibly unarmed. Michael is now paralyzed from the waist down and wheelchair-bound.

Officers Dionte Roots and Jhonny Jimenez, who were attempting to restrain Ortiz when Andrews shot him, are also named in the federal civil rights case. According to Ortiz, not only had his life been shattered but also that of his mother, who now has to care for him and change his diapers. He dialed 911 for assistance while having a mental health crisis, but while handcuffed on the ground, he was shot.

Michael Ortiz needed assistance, but instead received a shot to the back, according to Crump. “There should have been greater accountability for the police,” Crump said. Officials from Hollywood declined to comment.

Another attorney will be engaged for the Ortiz claim, according to Jeremy Kroll, who represented Andrews in the misdemeanor culpable negligence prosecution. “Officer Andrews meant to use his Taser while reacting to a challenging and chaotic scenario, but accidently fired his gun. No malice was intended in this situation.

He admitted to using marijuana and had chest issues with them. He sounded suicidal and insane, the operators remarked. To relax, Ortiz took a shower. He wouldn’t go outside when paramedics arrived, so they had to contact the cops. Ortiz allegedly entered a corridor while naked and then became belligerent, threatening to commit suicide.

They claim that when Roots and Jimenez arrived, they were attempting to prevent him from jumping from a sixth-floor balcony. Although the city showed Shkolnik the security footage, it has not yet been made public. He claimed that after using his Taser to subdue Ortiz, Roots had him bound up and lying naked on the ground. According to Shkolnik, he was still struggling but wasn’t endangering himself or the officers if they had just backed off and allowed him to settle down.

Andrews exited the elevator as it opened. Roots attempted to Taser Ortiz once more, but the weapon did not fire. Andrews, an officer for more than 20 years, claimed in a court document related to his misdemeanor case that he reached for his Taser but instead grabbed his revolver and fired one shot into Ortiz’s back. According to Shkolnik, that occurred around ten seconds after the elevator door opened.

Andrews stated, “I truly thought I had grabbed my Taser and was firing it. Like other Tasers, Andrews’ had a handle and trigger that resembled those of a revolver. But, it was also bright yellow instead of black, a design choice meant to act as a visual alert to an officer in a crisis. In their training, police officers are taught to carry their weapons on their strong side and their stun guns on the other hip. Andrews carried out that.