Current:Home > ContactPolice officer charged with murder for shooting Black man in his bed -WealthX
Police officer charged with murder for shooting Black man in his bed
View
Date:2025-04-12 05:07:23
Former Columbus, Ohio, police officer Ricky Anderson has been indicted on charges of murder and reckless homicide for the shooting of a Black man last year.
Anderson shot and killed 20-year-old Donovan Lewis in August 2022 during a search warrant while he was unarmed and in bed.
Body camera footage was released of the encounter last September and Anderson, a 30-year veteran of the Columbus Police Department, appears to open fire almost immediately after police open the bedroom door to where Lewis was sleeping. He later died at a hospital.
Anderson retired in bad standing months after the shooting.
"We are relieved that a grand jury concluded what we've known all along: Officer Ricky Anderson broke the law when he shot and killed an unarmed Donovan Lewis as he laid in his bed," the attorneys for Rebecca Duran, Lewis' mother, said in a statement Friday. "CPD bodycam video showed this clearly and nothing has changed in almost a year. Although Mr. Lewis' family is pleased that his killer will soon face a jury of his peers, they are incredibly disappointed that it took so long to come to this conclusion in the first place."
Police officers were executing a warrant on Lewis' home to arrest him on three separate charges: domestic violence, assault and improper handling of a firearm.
Mark Collins, the attorney for Anderson, said in a statement last September, "When we analyze police-involved shootings, we must look to the totality of the circumstances, and we are expressly forbidden from using 20/20 hindsight, because unlike all of us, officers are not afforded the luxury of armchair reflection when they are faced with rapidly evolving, volatile encounters in dangerous situations."
MORE: Family files wrongful death lawsuit against Columbus police officer who shot Donovan Lewis
Lewis' family filed a civil suit against Anderson, as well as four other officers involved in the raid, in February.
According to the complaint, Anderson had a total of 58 complaints against him over the years, including use of force complaints, and has also been reprimanded for sexual harassment while on the job.
"As prosecutors pursue Mr. Anderson in the criminal case, we will continue to fight for justice and accountability in our civil case," the lawyers for Duran said Friday. "Our hope is that no other parent has to bury their child as the result of a reckless act by a member of law enforcement."
ABC News' Nakylah Carter and Erica Y. King contributed to this report.
veryGood! (8678)
Related
- Person accused of accosting Rep. Nancy Mace at Capitol pleads not guilty to assault charge
- Splash Into Summer With Lands’ End 40% off Sitewide & 75% off Clearance Sale on Swimwear, Coverups & More
- Scientists are ready to meet and greet a massive asteroid when it whizzes just past Earth
- Alabama set to execute man for fatal shooting of a delivery driver during a 1998 robbery attempt
- SFO's new sensory room helps neurodivergent travelers fight flying jitters
- Climate change is making days longer, according to new research
- Navy exonerates Black sailors in deadly 1944 port blast. Families say it was long overdue.
- Montana Is a Frontier for Deep Carbon Storage, and the Controversies Surrounding the Potential Climate Solution
- Mets have visions of grandeur, and a dynasty, with Juan Soto as major catalyst
- Too soon for comedy? After attempted assassination of Trump, US politics feel anything but funny
Ranking
- Grammy nominee Teddy Swims on love, growth and embracing change
- What's financial toll for Team USA Olympians? We asked athletes how they make ends meet.
- Olivia Wilde Shares Rare Photo of Her and Jason Sudeikis’ 7-Year-Old Daughter Daisy
- Fireballers Mason Miller, Garrett Crochet face MLB trade rumors around first All-Star trip
- 'Survivor' 47 finale, part one recap: 2 players were sent home. Who's left in the game?
- Britney Spears Tells Osbourne Family to “F--k Off” After They Criticize Her Dance Videos
- Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis and Bam Adebayo effective 1-2-3 punch at center for Team USA
- Former White House employee, CIA analyst accused of spying for South Korea, feds say
Recommendation
Warm inflation data keep S&P 500, Dow, Nasdaq under wraps before Fed meeting next week
Florida man arrested in after-hours Walgreens binge that included Reese's, Dr. Pepper
Book excerpt: Godwin by Joseph O'Neill
Climate change is making days longer, according to new research
Don't let hackers fool you with a 'scam
Justin Long Admits He S--t the Bed Next to Wife Kate Bosworth in TMI Confession
Milwaukee Bucks' Khris Middleton recovering from surgeries on both ankles
Sheryl Lee Ralph overjoyed by Emmy Awards nomination: 'Never gets old'