A Black mother called the police earlier this month for help after her ex-boyfriend was allegedly getting violent with her. However, when the police arrived to the scene, they shot her dead instead. Now the woman’s family wants answers from the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department.
Nina Finlayson, 27, called the police on Dec. 4 saying her ex-boyfriend wouldn’t leave her alone. According to a statement from the Sheriff’s Department, the dispatcher recalled hearing screams and the sounds of a struggle on the phone. Officers also said they heard screams when they arrived to Finlayson’s home. They said they located Finlayson inside the home with her 9-year-old daughter, armed with a knife threatening to stab her ex-boyfriend. However, Finlayson’s family said she was armed to protect herself because the man has injured her and her daughter in the past.
Finlayson called the police for help to remove him from the property, the family said in a press conference. However, police claimed that Finlayson allegedly advanced toward the man with a knife, and one responding officer fired several times at her. She died on the scene.
“If you call police for help, you think the officers are going to protect and serve you. You don’t expect them to hunt and kill you,” said family attorney Bradley Gage, per The Guardian.
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The sheriff’s department released a statement saying the shooting is being investigated.
“The Department has not officially received this claim but takes all deputy-involved shootings seriously. In the effort of transparency, the Department will be releasing the body-worn camera footage of the incident by next week, which is earlier than the required timeframe.
With any deputy-involved shooting, there is a robust review process, which includes the Office of Inspector General, where every aspect of the shooting is thoroughly examined and evaluated to see if Department policies and procedures were followed.
Gage claimed Finlayson was “executed” when she was shot in the back while sitting on the ground. Her daughter also said in the press conference last weekend that the police lied about her mother threatening the man.
“She was my best friend. She was always there for me. It’s unbelievable that she’s gone and she’s not coming back. I miss my mom,” Finlayson’s daughter told reporters.
Finlayson’s family filed a wrongful death claim against the County and Sheriff’s department ahead of Christmas claiming that the mother’s civil rights were violated, the report says. The family is seeking $30 million in damages.