SPOKANE, Wash. - The parents of 25-year-old Ethan Murray, who was killed in an officer-involved shooting in 2019, are suing the shooter and Spokane County Sheriff's Department (SCSD).
The shooting happened near the Parkside Apartments at Mirabeau. Murray was reportedly running between children in the area. Persecutors said he appeared to be under the influence, according to a report from The Spokesman.
SCSD Deputy Joseph Wallace pursued Murray into a wooded area. After confronting Murray, Wallace shot and killed him, believing Murray was reaching for a weapon in his waist.
Murray was unarmed. What the deputy thought was a knife turned out to be a pair of sunglasses.
The Spokane County Prosecutors Office determined Wallace was justified in firing his sidearm because he had reason to believe Murray could cause him bodily harm.
Now, Murray's parents, Justine Murray and Mark Jentsch, allege that Murray's killing was unjustified.
According to their complaint filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington, Murray was homeless, mentally ill, sober, unarmed and had not committed a crime.
“The shooting of mentally ill, unarmed individuals by police is becoming a national crisis due to lack of adequate training,” attorneys in the suit said.
