A California city agreed to a $4 million settlement in the 2019 police shooting of a man whose mother had called officers and urged them to apprehend him.
The city of Walnut Creek announced in a recent statement that the settlement was agreed to by all parties and did not constitute an admission of liability or fault.
“We recognize that protracted litigation is not in the best interest of anyone involved,” said Noah Blechman, the city’s litigation counsel.
The parents of Miles Hall sued the city last year, alleging his death was preventable.
Hall was shot dead by police officers in June 2019 after he sprinted toward them while wielding a pole and ignored commands to stop, body camera footage showed.
Hall’s parents said they hope the settlement will help prevent future police shootings.
“It’s important for us to help us so we can help save somebody else from this happening again,” Taun Hall, the mother of Hall, told reporters at a press conference on Monday. “Because Miles should never have died.”
“All we care about from the day Miles died—and until we die—is having a better system in place,” added Scott Hall, the man’s father.
Video contains graphic and disturbing images.
John Burris, who was representing the family, claimed the shooting was “an unnecessary use of force” and said Hall wasn’t targeting officers, but trying to run past them to get back home.
Officers had been called to the family home by Taun Hall, who said her son “needs to be apprehended” because “he cannot be in our house.”
Neighbors also called the police, saying Hall was threatening to hurt people.
Hall’s parents plan to use the money to create a foundation that would work to enact changes to how law enforcement respond to people with mental health issues.
Walnut Creek is about 25 miles northeast of San Francisco.
The $4 million settlement follows a $12 million settlement reached by Louisville officials and the family of Breonna Taylor, who died from gunshot wounds suffered during a police raid of her home last year.
The Walnut Creek Police Department said last week that it was dedicating $100,000 to expanding its crisis intervention team, with the goal of having at least one person available at all hours of the day to respond to mental health calls, KGO-TV reported.
“These people would have above and beyond additional training to better equip them to handle the sort of crises that we’re faced with,” Captain Jay Hill told the City Council at a meeting.
