Eyewitnesses say Black Man Dropped Knife before being Fatally Shot by Jackson Police: Family files Suit

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From [HERE] A week after a knife-wielding man was shot and killed by a Jackson police officer, a federal lawsuit has been filed against the city alleging the officer used excessive force.

The family of Connell Lindsey filed the lawsuit Thursday in U.S. District Court in Jackson seeking unspecified damages against the city of Jackson, Police Chief Rebecca Coleman, officer Corliss Harris, who the lawsuit said shot Lindsey, and unnamed individuals.

The lawsuit alleges Harris has been involved in other fatal shootings while on duty. Harris has been a city police officer since August 1998, and records show he was involved in a fatal shooting in 2002.

According to police accounts of Lindsey's death on March 31, the 47-year-old would not drop a knife when ordered by the officer at the JasCo Food Mart at 1038 Woodrow Wilson Ave.

Jackson Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes says eyewitnesses to the shooting have given him a different account.   He was told Connell was shot seconds after throwing the knife to the ground. Stokes says Connell is known by officers who patrol the area, and has never been a serious threat to anyone. [MORE] and [MORE] 

"We have a young man taken from us for no reason," says Stokes.

The owner of the convenience store said the officer made a mistake when he shot the man. "Not supposed to be shooting him. That's the wrong thing," Jasco store owner Balbir Singh said.

Police say the shooting appears to be justified.  Assistant Chief Lee Vance says, "Preliminarily this appears to be a necessary shooting, we had a suspect wielding a deadly weapon that turned to attack the store owner."

Assistant Chief Vance says the veteran officer has been put on administrative leave pending an internal investigation, which is standard procedure.

Stokes says he wants the store closed down because police are repeatedly called to that location for problems. He claims store owners harass customers, and that the owner was armed with a bat, which is why Connell Lindsey pulled out his knife in the first place.