A 25-year-old filmmaker has been awarded $3.75 million by a jury after suing the city of Los Angeles. The filmmaker, A. Jamal Shakir Jr., alleged that his uncle, an LAPD officer named Eric Anderson, ordered him to be shot with two projectiles during a downtown protest in 2020 following the killing of George Floyd. Shakir filed a lawsuit in the Los Angeles Superior Court, claiming civil rights violations, assault and battery, false imprisonment, and negligence. After a 10-day trial, the jury ruled in favor of Shakir.
Carl E. Douglas, the plaintiff’s attorney, expressed his concerns about the incident and its implications. He stated, “That Anderson would direct that his own nephew be shot twice even with rubber bullets, though he was peacefully protesting, should send chills through us all. It speaks volumes about how far we still have to go as citizens of this great city before seeing true reform.”
Douglas, who has worked as a civil rights lawyer for 40 years, described the incident as a tragic example of a police officer using excessive force against his own family.
Lawyers from the City Attorney’s Office defended the actions of Officer Anderson, claiming that the force used against Shakir was necessary for self-defense due to the actions of the plaintiff.
Shakir, commenting on the lawsuit, highlighted the irony of the situation and his efforts to avoid becoming a statistic of the criminal justice system. He stated, “To be able to do such a thing despite it being your family, your blood or your own people is something that is tremendously affecting the entire community.”
The lawsuit emphasized the deep-rooted warrior mentality within the Los Angeles Police Department, which the plaintiffs believe threatens to tear apart Black families from within. The suit accused Anderson of assaulting his own blood, causing physical and emotional harm to Shakir, who is described as a promising young entrepreneur.
The incident occurred during a peaceful protest of George Floyd’s death on May 29, 2020. Shakir walked among the protesters, requesting LAPD members to join them and drop their arms. He recognized his uncle, Anderson, among the officers and expressed his disapproval of his actions. At that moment, Anderson allegedly motioned for another officer to shoot Shakir, resulting in injuries to his hand and buttocks.
In pain and fearing for his safety, Shakir ran away from the officers. He was eventually taken to a hospital by friends who found him at his nearby apartment. Shakir’s court papers argued that the police had an unwarranted fear of him and saw him as a threat to someone’s safety.
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