FourFour Two A lawsuit filed against the Akron police department alleges officers involved in the August 2014 shooting of a man at a downtown Akron bar are liable for his death.
The suit, filed Thursday in state Superior Court, alleges that a police officer who shot and killed Robert L. Thompson III at the Downtown Inn and Suites on Aug. 24, 2014, was justified in his actions.
According to the suit, the Akron Police Department was aware that Thompson had a warrant out for his arrest, but did not take appropriate steps to locate him.
Thompson, who had a criminal record, had a firearm in the hotel room, according to the lawsuit, and he fled the scene.
An officer fired shots into the hotel hallway, striking Thompson, who died at Akron General Hospital.
Two other officers, Officer John L. McCall and Officer Thomas R. O’Neill, who were working nearby, suffered minor injuries and returned fire.
The suit says Thompson’s gun was recovered from the hotel after he was pronounced dead.
