NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The mother of a 23-year-old man killed by police in Virginia has filed a $10 million wrongful death lawsuit in state court.
Kawanza Jamal Beaty was fatally shot about 2 a.m. July 4. Newport News police have said Beaty was carrying a sawed-off shotgun and ignored police calls to drop the weapon after a foot chase.
The lawsuit filed Thursday says the shooting was unprovoked and gratuitous in nature.
The lawsuit names the city, police Chief Richard Myers and Officer Randy Gibson as defendants. Gibson was involved in a previous shooting in 2012, and a lawsuit is pending in federal court from that incident. Gibson’s attorney in that case declined to comment on the current lawsuit or identify Gibson’s race. Beaty was black.
