The family of a man who was fatally shot by a Georgia police officer filed a lawsuit under federal disability discrimination laws, saying he was having a mental health crisis and officers weren’t adequately trained to respond.
In a lawsuit filed in federal court in Atlanta, the family of Matthew Zadok Williams alleges “disability discrimination” and says DeKalb County had a “policy of failing to adequately train police officers to safely arrest persons with mental illness.” A county police officer shot and killed Williams on April 12, 2021, in the townhome community where he lived.
The lawsuit, filed Friday by Williams’ mother and sister, cites the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. A county spokesperson declined to comment on pending litigation.
Read this story for free
To continue reading, sign up for our newsletters and get unlimited access to WABE.org
We won't share your information with outside organizations Why am I seeing this?
