A police officer is involved in a lawsuit for not releasing camera footage of a man he shot. | Unsplash
A police officer is involved in a lawsuit for not releasing camera footage of a man he shot. | Unsplash
A family is alleging that a Polk County sheriff's deputy who killed a member of their family is covering up the death of the man by refusing to release the records of the death.
Isaiah Hayes of Ashland, Wisconsin, was killed two years ago by the deputy on July 17, 2018, WJFW 12 reported. Hayes' family filed a lawsuit against the deputy on June 30 after the county sheriff's office refused to release footage from a body camera and records of the shooting.
Information released by the Sheriff's Department states Deputy Ryan Philips witnessed Hayes leave a stolen vehicle then run, WJFW 12 reported. Philips said Hayes had a weapon and when he refused to drop it, Philips fired at Hayes.
Hayes' family said the weapon wasn't actually a weapon. It was a BB gun and Hayes was in no way threatening the deputy when Philips shot him.
The lawsuit against Philips alleges the the body camera footage won't be released because it will show the deputy "shooting Isaiah in the back while Isaiah did not pose a threat," WJFW 12 reported.
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