According to the family’s attorneys, an officer was accused of trying to pull over a Florida teenager riding a dirtbike before . He died in a crash. The officer has a history with deadly on-duty pursuits.
13-year-old Stanley Davis III died Dec. 26 after a Boynton Beach Police Department officer tried to pull him over. Officials said that the officer was also the pursuing police officer in two other fatal crashes on the job.
Jasmine Rand, a lawyer, said that the first occurred in 2012, and that the second resulted in a death of a child. Rand stated that Davis was one of the Black victims.
She stated that the officer had a documented 20-year history of terrorizing Black residents in Boynton Beach. The officer has been identified by attorneys representing Davis’ family, including Ben Crump, a prominent civil rights attorney.
NBC News won’t name the officer, as their participation in December’s alleged pursuit cannot be verified immediately. Boynton Beach police officials and the city have declined to identify the officer.
Rand demanded the “immediate termination” of this officer. Rand demanded the immediate termination of the officer. She stated that it was “unfathomable,” for an officer to continue on the force with three fatal pursuits.
Steven B., Mayor of Boynton Beach Grant did not respond to a Tuesday request for comment. A spokesperson for the department stated that Grant was still on paid administrative leave and “not authorized” to take any police actions.
NBC News confirmed that the officer named by attorneys was involved with a fatal pursuit in 2016. This was confirmed through a lawsuit filed in 2018 at Palm Beach County’s Fifteenth Judicial Circuit.
An article in The Palm Beach Post last week confirmed that the Boynton’s officer was involved in three fatal vehicle pursuits over his career.
NBC News could not reach the officer to comment.
According to a police report, officers saw the teen driving recklessly on Boynton Beach Boulevard.
Police said that the teen crashed his bike in the 800 block North Federal Highway as officers tried to pull him over.
Florida Highway Patrol is leading the investigation into the traffic stop. According to a representative from the agency, Tuesday’s investigation could take up four months to complete.
Highway patrol said that the teen lost control of his vehicle and collided into the median curb. He was then thrown from the vehicle and hit the median curb.
Boynton Beach police claim they haven’t found any evidence that the officer’s car came in contact with the dirtbike.
In its decision to keep the officer’s identity secret from the public, police also cited Marsy’s Law which provides victims of crimes privacy protections.
In April, a state appellate court unanimously ruled that police who are involved in violent confrontations have the same rights to privacy protections as victims of crime.
According to a police statement, Dec. 29 stated that the officer was involved in a crime against a victim.
The statement stated that the officer had invoked Marsy’s law exemptions because he and his family were under constant threats to their safety.
“The department took the time to consult the City Attorney’s Office and based on their advice Marsy’s Law applies to this officer in both Sunday’s accident and the threats case. The department won’t release the name of the officer in the crash in compliance with the law.
Shannon Thompson, Davis’ mother, stated Tuesday that she was offended by the fact that police and the city had not named the officer, but called them victims.
Thompson stated, “I was disgusted by that.” Thompson said, “My son was the victim. Our family is the victim.”
Thompson described her son, an honor-roll student, as her only child. Thompson expressed her grief and demanded that the officer be fired.
Thompson stated that Thompson had said, “Had he been terminated for the previous incident, my son might still be with me.” We are calling for his termination to ensure that no family else has to suffer the same pain as mine and my family.
