2 men file suit in police shooting

Two men who police shot at in May, leaving their 19-year-old friend dead, are suing the city for assault, battery and negligent hiring, training and supervision.

On May 11, Craig Brown and Gregg Whiting were in a Lincoln that was stopped in the street when a police car pulled up and blocked their path, and two officers began shooting unprovoked in their direction, according to the lawsuit.

They were arrested and taken to jail, where they learned that one of their friends in another vehicle, Michael Byoune, had been shot and killed and that another friend was injured, according to the lawsuit.

In July, Brown and Whiting filed claims with Inglewood for emotional trauma, disability, losses and damages suffered as a result of the incident, but the claims were rejected, according to court documents.

Police reports said the officers mistakenly believed the men, who were unarmed, were firing at them. Inglewood Police Chief Jacqueline Seabrooks called the shooting “a very tragic outcome” and in October announced that officers would be trained to help better assess situations that could escalate to the use of deadly force.

-- Raja Abdulrahim