SPOKANE, Wash. — A family member of a man shot and killed by Spokane police in front of his home last summer has filed a lawsuit against the City of Spokane and the officers involved in his death.
Keshia Hahn, the mother of Robert Bradley's children, is seeking damages from the city and the four officers accused of shooting and killing him. In the lawsuit, Hahn claims the city's failure to "properly train officers regarding the use of force" led to Bradley's death.
The lawsuit alleges the city of Spokane, which provides law enforcement services through the Spokane Police Department (SPD), failed to train officers to assess and avoid escalating situations. Hahn also claims the department "continues in a pattern of abuse and a culture of violence and excessive force."
Hahn also claimed two of the officers involved in Bradley's death were involved in the death of David Novak, who was shot by a Spokane police officer in 2019. She also points to Spokane Police Chief Craig Meidl, alleging he "stated that his officers did nothing wrong" concerning Novak's case.
Police shot Bradley on Sept. 4, 2022, after he returned from a camping trip with his girlfriend and children. Police were called to Bradley's home by a neighbor, who claimed Bradley was in their yard with an AR-15-style rifle.
The lawsuit states Bradley was walking in his yard. He did have a weapon in his hand, but the lawsuit claims he was unpacking them from his vehicle after a camping trip with his children and girlfriend.
Officers arrived and saw Bradley holding the gun. They told him to lower the weapon but claimed he refused. Hahn stated in the lawsuit that Bradley was hard of hearing and wore a hearing aid, which he may or may not have had on at the time of the shooting.
Seconds after the command was given, shots rang out. The responding officers said they acted quickly because the neighbor had reported Bradley had a weapon.
According to the lawsuit, the officers "were addressing Mr. Bradley for less than five seconds before firing without warning."
Before the shooting, Bradley and his neighbor had an ongoing property dispute. Bradley had left a note to the neighbor threatening to tow and trash anything over his property line, according to Bradley's girlfriend, Sarah McLaughlin. She added both Bradley and the neighbor started the process of anti-harassment orders.
Hahn seeks "an appropriate remedy" and "general and special damages" through the lawsuit.
KREM 2 reached out to SPD and the city of Spokane for comment on the lawsuit. An SPD spokesperson said the department does not comment on lawsuits. A spokesperson with the city of Spokane said they are unable to comment on pending lawsuits.
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