- CONTINUE READING BELOW -
A Florida cop who was shot by another police officer as she wrestled a man carrying a metallic lighter mistaken for a gun is suing the city that employs him.
Officer Fabio Bolanos filed a notice of intent to bring a lawsuit against the City of Miami Beach after he was unintentionally shot by Officer Shenaqua Stringer when he was helping her subdue the man thought to be armed, local ABC affiliate WSVN reported.
- CONTINUE READING BELOW -
Bolanos is suing for “injuries suffered by him arising from the shooting” and “injuries sustained as a result of the negligent actions of the city,” the document obtained by WSVN says.
Bolanos says he has suffered “scarring, physical injury, emotional distress and mental anguish.” His attorney PJ Mitchell told the TV station the city failed to properly train its officers and “exercise reasonable and ordinary care.” A city spokeswoman declined to provide the document to Law&Crime, citing a public records exemption.
“The City of Miami Beach does not comment on pending or threatened litigation,” she added.
Mitchell did not immediately return a request for commentAs previously reported, Law&Crime obtained police body camera footage from the incident as well as the report from the State Attorney’s Office that cleared Stringer of criminal wrongdoing.
According to the report, the police department received a 911 call shortly before 12:30 p.m. on March 2 about a man walking on the Venetian Causeway who may be armed with a gun.
Stringer was the first officer on scene and saw the man walking. She reportedly saw him “reaching into his right pocket and retrieve an unknown object,” the report said. Stringer took out her gun and approached the man. Meanwhile, Officer Fabio Bolanos drove up in his patrol car from the opposite direction. He ran up to Stringer and the man as she was taking him to the ground while holding her gun in her right hand. Bolanos started to help Stringer gain control of the man. Suddenly the gun went off, hitting Bolanos in the right calf.
The injured officer is in obvious pain as Stringer calls for help.
“Why’d you do that?” the subject at the center of the call says as he’s lying face-first on the ground. “Ain’t nobody do nothing. You f—ed up his leg. He’s bleeding a lot.”
Blood pools around the man.
“Hey,” he shouts. “Blood is dripping on me.”
Bolanos continues to moan in agony as he and Stringer try to put him in handcuffs.
“Hurry up because I need a tourniquet,” Bolanos said.
“I know,” Stringer responds. “Hold on.”
Eventually, help arrives and a cop puts the tourniquet around Bolanos’ leg to slow the bleeding. Officers pick up Bolanos and place him in the back of the cruiser. During the ride to the hospital, Bolanos asks the officer driving if he can borrow his phone so he can call his wife.
“I got shot in the leg,” Bolanos tells his wife. “I’m OK though, they’re taking me to Ryder Trauma right now. I’m OK, though. All right, babe? I love you.”
Bolanos arrived at the hospital where he underwent treatment. Back at the scene, cops did not find any gun linked to the suspect, only a metallic lighter. The man was apparently going through a mental health crisis and never faced charges associated with the incident.
WSVN, which first obtained the body camera video, reports that Bolanos made a full recovery and is back on the job.
As for Stringer, the Miami Herald reported in March that she was transferred to a different part of the agency after the incident. An internal affairs investigation is ongoing.