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Oklahoma City settles lawsuit with family of 15-year-old shot by police 13 times

OKC City Hall
City of Oklahoma City
OKC City Hall

Oklahoma City settled a lawsuit Tuesday with the mother of Stavian Rodriguez, a 15-year-old shot and killed by police in 2020.

She will receive $875,000 from the city. The council agreed to make the payment but does not admit liability.

Rodriguez was a suspect in a gas station robbery. When OKCPD officers approached him and gave him different commands, Rodriguez lifted his shirt to show his waistline, dropped his gun on the ground and then lowered his hands to his waist. That’s when police shot him.

An autopsy later showed Rodriguez was shot 13 times.

Officers Bethany Sears, Jared Barton, Corey Adams, John Skuta and Brad Pemberton were the officers charged with first-degree manslaughter. A sixth officer — Sarah Carli — fired less lethal rounds and didn’t face charges.

However, those charges were dropped in 2023 after Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Behenna took office.

“(The) law basically says that if a suspect is trying to escape or evade arrest and the suspect is believed to have committed a crime involving serious bodily harm or the threat of serious bodily harm, force, even deadly force, can be justifiable,” she said at the time.

The Oklahoma City Council did not discuss the case in an open meeting, though they spent some time talking about it in a closed session. They ultimately voted to approve the settlement payment 5-3.

Members James Cooper, Barbara Peck, Todd Stone, JoBeth Hamon and Lee Cooper Jr. voted in favor of the settlement agreement, while Bradley Carter, Matt Hinkle and Mark Stonecipher voted against it.

Mayor David Holt did not cast a vote as he was absent.

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Robby Korth joined KOSU as its news director in November 2022.
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