The Phoenix City Council is scheduled to vote Wednesday on whether to approve a $1.2 million settlement of a wrongful death lawsuit filed against police officers in a case that stems from 2019.
If approved, lawsuit settlement money would go to Henry Rivera’s four minor children. Court records say the family was nearly homeless. But Rivera got work as a handyman at a hotel where they began staying.
Around the same time, Phoenix police were looking for a double-murder suspect.
Acting on a tip, officers showed up en force at the hotel. Rivera reportedly fled in fear, stole a car and then tried to surrender.
Records say officers shot Rivera in the back without verifying his identity.
The murder suspect police were looking for was arrested within days.
Activist groups are planning to hold a news conference right before the council meets to demand accountability for a recent string of police shootings.
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ICE held about 60,000 people as of Sept. 21, the most recent data available. In the prior month, 1,151 detainees were held in isolation for at least one day — the most ever. The count has topped 1,000 every month since April. -
The Phoenix Police Department is asking the public for input on a six-page policy: "Interacting with Individuals Experiencing Homelessness." -
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An advocate for the family of a 16-year-old found murdered earlier this month is criticizing White Mountain Apache police for their handling of the girl’s missing persons case.
