A civil rights lawsuit has been lodged against the city of Dearborn and two of its police officers following a fatal incident that transpired during a welfare check in September of 2021. The officers, identified as Ashley Kusnir and Matthew Wilson, are accused of suffocating 38-year-old Salvatore "Sal" Cipolloni at the Falcon Inn Motel. The event, which resulted in Cipolloni's death, was captured on Wilson's body-worn camera. According to WWJ Newsradio, attorney Jon Marko of Marko Law, PLLC, is leading the charge with the lawsuit, aiming to seek justice and redress for the family.
The incident has resurfaced tensions surrounding police conduct, particularly in the wake of the 2020 killing of George Floyd. As reported by Metro Times, the lawsuit filed by Marko alleges that the officers' actions during the welfare check, which included Kusnir kneeling on Cipolloni’s neck and Wilson kneeling on his legs, led directly to his suffocation and subsequent death. The medical examiner involved in the case determined that the cause of death was not natural.
The narrative provided by the lawsuit is one of a mismanaged mental health crisis intervention, which brings to light the recurrent issues of law enforcement's handling of individuals in a state of psychological turmoil. According to the same WWJ Newsradio report, upon arriving at the motel, officers encountered Cipolloni behind an emergency exit door. It is alleged that, despite his cries for help, the officers forcefully restrained Cipolloni, ultimately leading to his asphyxiation.
The sentiment of loss and injustice resonates deeply with Cipolloni's family. Christina Howe, the mother of two of Cipolloni's children, shared with ClickOnDetroit the emotional toll the death has taken on her family and especially on her children. His daughter Peyton remembered him as “a great guy,” who made her "feel more loved than probably anybody in my life". Marko resolved to "dig in and hold those responsible within the Dearborn Police Department and make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else".
