COLUMBUS, Ohio — A federal jury has cleared a Columbus police officer in a civil lawsuit for the fatal shooting of Tyre King in 2016.
According to court records, the jury found Bryan Mason did not violate the teenager's constitutional right to be free from excessive force.
Mason shot Tyre in September 2016 while responding to a reported armed robbery. One of the teens Tyre was with had robbed a man on the street to get gas money using an air pistol borrowed from — and immediately handed back to — Tyre, who tucked it into his pants before the group fled from responding police, according to the robber’s sworn statements cited in the filing.
Mason said that when he confronted that teen and Tyre as they ran toward him, he repeatedly ordered them to get down but Tyre didn’t comply. Instead, he told investigators, Tyre pulled from his waistband what appeared to be a real weapon, and the officer fired three shots in quick succession.
Mason reported that the whole confrontation occurred in 8 seconds or less.
The family’s lawsuit challenged the police account of what happened, citing witnesses who said that Mason used a racial slur after firing and that the BB gun Tyre reportedly had wasn’t visible.
Mason has said he feared a “gun fight.” He contends he acted reasonably to protect himself and denies directing a slur toward the teens.
The lawsuit also alleged wrongful death, excessive force, racial discrimination and deliberate indifference by Mason in regard to medical care for Tyre after shooting him.
Mason’s filing says he knew that the wounds exceeded the level of his basic first aid training and that another officer had immediately called for medics.
Tyre was shot in the head and torso. A lawyer for his family previously argued the wounds indicated he was running away when he was shot. Mason said Tyre spun after the first shot.
