City to Pay Man Shot by Police
The City Council voted Tuesday to pay $950,000 to settle a lawsuit by a man who was shot by an LAPD officer in Van Nuys in 1995.
Peter Williams sued the city for injuries suffered in the shooting by LAPD Det. Greg Yacoubian in an alley off Victory Boulevard near the Tattoo Emporium where Williams worked.
Williams’ boss got into a fistfight with a customer, according to a report by the city attorney’s office, and Williams picked up a hammer to help his employer.
LAPD detectives spotted Williams and told him to drop the hammer, but he advanced toward the detective, who fired two rounds at him.
The city attorney’s office recommended a settlement, saying the jury might see Williams as a “good Samaritan” who was the victim of excessive force.
Williams walks with a limp and may have to undergo additional surgery because of his injuries, the report said.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
