Parents of Man Killed by Police Press Claims

The parents of a man who was shot to death by police following a televised car chase turned to Orange County Superior Court on Thursday as they pressed claims of wrongful death and negligence against Westminster and Orange authorities.

The lawsuit alleges officers violated the civil rights of Hong Il Kim, 28 of Buena Park, and that Westminster Police Chief James Cook and Orange Police Chief John R. Robertson failed to properly train and supervise their officers.

Sunim and Yong Jae Kim also accused the agencies of a pattern of “unreasonable deadly force and the cover-up of the wrongful conduct.”

Officials have said they cannot comment on the family’s allegations because of the pending litigation.

Kim was shot to death Feb. 14 in an incident that began when a Westminster officer tried to pull him over for making an illegal turn. Police pursued Kim to a shopping center parking lot in Orange, where officers hemmed in Kim’s Toyota 4-Runner. As Kim drove forward in the direction of a wall, officers opened fire.

Police maintained the shooting was justified because Kim was endangering the lives of the officers in front of his 4-Runner.

In the lawsuit, Kim’s family say officers lacked “legal provocation” to shoot him at least six times. They are seeking unspecified damages and have filed a similar action in U.S. Federal Court.