15-year-old suspect following cops’ orders fatally shot 13 times, Oklahoma lawsuit says
_fitted.png "Stavian Rodriguez was shot and killed by police in Oklahoma in 2020.")
The family of a 15-year-old boy who was shot and killed by police will receive a large settlement after suing an Oklahoma city.
On Nov. 23, 2020, Stavian Rodriguez was at an Oklahoma City gas station and was accused of actively robbing the store, according to a federal lawsuit.
The store owner climbed out of the drive-thru window, then locked the doors to the building, with Rodriguez inside, the lawsuit said.
Police arrived at the gas station, and Rodriguez was still locked inside the store.
“Numerous officers gave numerous, varying, and conflicting commands to (Rodriguez), including ‘come out with your hands up,’ ‘get on the ground,’ ‘drop the gun,’ ‘come to the door,’ ‘put your hands on the door,’” the lawsuit said.
Rodriguez eventually climbed out of the drive-thru window, “an act in compliance with commands made,” the lawsuit said.
“He was confronted with a chorus of shouts by approximately ten or more officers and a loudspeaker, a disorienting tactical strobe light, a police vehicle within fifteen feet with an officer visibly inside, and more than a dozen officers with pistols, a shotgun, an assault rifle, and a large 40mm bean bag gun drawn and pointed at him,” the complaint said.
Rodriguez put his hands in the air, then grabbed a gun out of his waistband and set it on the ground, according to the suit. He then put his hands back at his side, near his back pocket and waistband, the lawsuit said.
Then, “before any upward, forward, quick, aggressive, threatening, or furtive movement was made,” an officer shot at him, according to the lawsuit.
This gunshot caused other officers to begin shooting, hitting Rodriguez 13 times, the lawsuit said.
This is known as a “sympathy shoot,” which is “when officers fire upon hearing the firing of another officer as opposed to firing upon perception of an imminent risk,” according to the civil complaint.
The lawsuit said Rodriguez was complying with officers and surrendering when he was fatally shot. He was hit in the head, chest, torso, hands, feet and legs, the lawsuit said.
Oklahoma City officials declined McClatchy’s request for comment Jan. 16.
“I know he made a mistake, but I don’t want him defined by that mistake,” family friend Cynethia Rayford told the Oklahoman in 2021. “This was a good kid. He just made a mistake.”
Initially, several officers were charged in connection with the shooting. However, the charges were dropped in 2023, KOSU reported.
On Jan. 14, the Oklahoma City Council voted to approve a settlement of $875,000, according to a court document obtained by the outlet.
This story was originally published January 16, 2025 at 2:10 PM with the headline "15-year-old suspect following cops’ orders fatally shot 13 times, Oklahoma lawsuit says."
