The family of a West African immigrant killed in his Harlem apartment by NYPD officers is suing the city for $20 million, hoping the suit encourages other officers to follow proper protocol when dealing with the mentally ill, The New York Daily News reports.
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On September 21st, officers knocked on the door of Mohamed Bah (pictured), after his mother called 911, saying he was “depressed.” An apparent brawl ensued, ending with the officers tasering and shooting Bah with a rubber bullet inside his Morningside Avenue apartment. Bah then fell across the officers and tried stabbing them before one of the officers delivered the fatal shot.
While the officers claimed they shot in self-defense, Bah’s mother believes they failed to follow departmental guidelines in approaching and treating the mentally challenged.
“Putting a monetary figure on this case lets the city know that they can’t get away with this,” said Franciscus Diaba, the lawyer representing Bah’s family. “His life was taken away from him.”