The Oklahoma City Council is poised to deliberate on a proposed settlement this coming Tuesday, in the amount of $875,000, tendered in response to a civil lawsuit arising from the tragic 2020 police shooting of a 15-year-old boy, Stavian Rodriguez. KOCO 5 reports that Rodriguez was fatally shot by Oklahoma City police in November of that year after he was accused of an attempted armed robbery at a gas station. According to KOCO 5's account, when officers arrived, Rodriguez emerged with a gun, later dropping it before being shot by police.
The officers involved perceived his movements as suspicious, and, did not follow their orders, which resulted in five officers discharging their weapons, and a sixth firing a less-lethal round. Subsequent coverage by The Oklahoman added the detail that the shooting occurred as Rodriguez reached toward his back pocket, where a cell phone was later found.
Following the incident, manslaughter charges against the five officers were filed, but they were dropped by Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Behenna in 2023, as provided by the earlier KOCO 5 report.
The mother of Stavian Rodriguez, Cameo Holland, launched a lawsuit accusing the city, former Oklahoma City Police Chief Wade Gourley, and the officers involved of excessive force, and claims the city had failed in adequately training and supervising its employees, per The Oklahoman.
In a statement disclosed by NewsNation, attorney Rand Eddy, representing Holland, questioned the police account, suggesting that Rodriguez did obey the commands to drop the gun and raise his hands. "What command did he not obey?" Eddy emphasized. Autopsy reports confirmed Rodriguez was hit by gunfire 13 times. If approved, the resolution for the $875,000 settlement would directly benefit Rodriguez's mother.
