PORTLAND -- A North Portland man is suing the officers who shot him while serving a warrant near his home in March.
As first reported in the Oregonian, 31-year-old Alberto Flores-Haro is suing the City of Hillsboro and Washington County for violating his Fourth Amendment rights by using excessive force resulting in serious injury.
Flores-Haro was shot by Washington County tactical officers while he was trying to protect his home from what he thought were armed intruders jumping over his back fence. The officers were executing a search warrant in the New Columbia housing complex for the suspect in a gang-related shooting.
Background: Shooting in N Portland during unrelated SWAT raid
The civil complaint alleges that Flores-Haro stepped out of his front door with an unloaded gun to prevent a possible home invasion, and was immediately shot in the stomach and arm. According to the statement, the officers did not identify themselves or give any warning before the shots were fired.
They also ordered Flores-Haro's wife, Alma Granados-Millan, and their five children out of the home at gunpoint, the complaint alleges.
"After Flores-Haro was shot, defendants (the officers) ordered Granados and her young children to come out of the house," it reads. "Defendants had their guns pointed at the family. The children were forced to step over Flores-Haro, who remained lying bleeding in his front entryway."
Attorneys for Flores-Haro and his family said the shooting and subsequent hospital stay have resulted in economic loss and severe emotional distress.
The officers were cleared of any criminal wrongdoing in May. Flores-Haro's attorneys announced his civil lawsuit September 7.
More: Officers cleared in New Columbia shooting
Two people were taken into custody the night Flores-Haro was shot. He was in no way connected with them or with the gang-related shooting police were investigating.
