SAN ANGELO, TEXAS-- The family of former Angelo State University (ASU) student, Christian Taylor, 19, an unarmed African-American who was shot and killed by a police officer in 2015, will receive a $850,000 settlement.
An Arlington city council report obtained by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram shows that the $850,000 will settle a claim filed by the family.
Arlington's city council said in a written statement, “This pre-suit settlement is not an admission of guilt or liability. Rather, it is a mutually agreed upon resolution to this unfortunate incident which avoids the personal and financial cost of litigation for all parties involved and dismisses any potential claims.”
Taylor, who played football at ASU, was seen in security footage breaking the windshield of a parked car in the lot of a Classic Buick GMC dealership on Aug 7, 2015 in Arlington. Taylor then proceeded to drive the car into the glass showroom of the dealership. Police responded around 1 a.m., and a short time later, Taylor was shot four times by 49-year-old rookie officer Brad Miller.
According to an Arlington Police Department report, Miller claimed that the the unarmed Taylor was "actively advancing" toward him. Taylor was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators determined he had no weapon. However, an autopsy later revealed that Taylor had traces of marijuana and a synthetic psychedelic drug in his system.
After the incident, Miller was fired from the Arlington Police Department and a grand jury cleared him of any wrongdoing on June 8, 2016. Click here for our original story.
Taylor’s father, Adrian Taylor Sr., said in an interview with the Star-Telegram on Tuesday, that the settlement did not bring peace to the family,
“We can’t be satisfied with any amount of money, because it can’t bring my son back. Our goal is to get a community center in his name. I’m not even sure that would be enough.”
The family never filed a lawsuit, choosing instead to work with the city on a settlement, Taylor Sr. added.
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Comments
This is so wrong! The student was in the wrong for being at the auto place in the first place! I hope the family has to pay for the damaged cars he tore up! And they need to to step up to the plate and take ownership of the fact that their boy was in the wrong! I believe what money they get will,bring them no good, as it was gotten in the wrong!!
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PermalinkAlthough the dealership probably had insurance. I feel that the money the family recieved should be used to pay the dealership for the damaged cars and property their son caused. I hope they do the right thing. I wish their son hadn't lost his life over something so stupid. Everybody blames the drugs.... but one has to smoke it, snort it or shoot it. The drug don't do it themselves. It's a choice and obviously he made the wrong one.
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PermalinkGotta love the PC mentality that allows for the criminal to be paid for committing his crime and worse his family profiting from their race and nothing more.
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PermalinkHis family is profiting from their race??????!! You could easily say their son died because of his race! Would the officer have shot the young man if he was caucasian? He had no weapon, yes, he was committing a crime, but not one he deserved to die for. The family lost their son and they are not the ones to blame here. They make tasers for a reason and more officers should use them. The city obviously settled out of court because it was too risky of a case.
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