Paralyzed Man Sues Pima County Sheriff for $176 Million Following Shooting
A man, now paralyzed from a shooting incident involving Pima County Sheriff’s deputies, has filed a lawsuit against Sheriff Chris Nanos for $176 million.
Axeel Melendez, 24, claims in his lawsuit that the shooting stemmed from negligence linked to a false swatting call, as reported by The New York Post. According to his attorney, Dev Sethi, Melendez had warned the sheriff’s department about a potential threat from an online hacker who was planning to make a false bomb report at his residence, but he was advised to remain calm.
Less than 48 hours later, a person pretending to be Melendez contacted the sheriff’s department, alleging that his father had shot his sister. This swatting scenario ended with deputies resorting to gunfire.
The lawsuit states that officers fired seven shots, striking Melendez in both the leg and spine, which led to his paralysis.
Before the shooting occurred, Melendez had called 911 to inform law enforcement about the threats he was facing. However, the dispatcher reportedly reassured him, saying, “They can’t just call SWAT on you. That’s not how it works,” and added that “nothing’s going to happen.”
Following this, the sheriff’s department received a call they determined to be a hoax related to Melendez’s home. Officers communicated with him afterward, suggesting he had nothing to worry about and that they would notify him of any further calls concerning his address.
Despite these reassurances, the legal claim alleges that the sheriff’s department acted on the false swatting call just a couple of days later. It argues that Melendez posed no real threat when the shooting took place. He reportedly heard commotion, alerted his mother to seek safety, and then positioned himself behind a door while holding a legally owned firearm.
The filing also states that deputies broke into his home through a bedroom window using a shovel, all while having their weapons drawn, according to information from The New York Post.
Sethi expressed the gravity of the situation, saying, “Axeel is a shooting victim whose life will never be the same. He’s not just facing years of medical treatment and a mountain of hospital bills; his life has been shattered.”
This incident isn’t a unique case against Sheriff Nanos and the Pima County Sheriff’s office. Another individual, Carlos Palazuelos, alongside two family members, intends to sue the department for $3 million after deputies raided his home and arrested him concerning the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie.
The claim indicates that deputies aimed guns at Palazuelos and detained him for approximately seven to eight hours before releasing him without any charges.
