TOPEKA, Kan. — An amended federal civil rights lawsuit filed against the Topeka Police Department alleges the department trained officers to approach encounters with “a plan to kill,” raising serious questions about de-escalation practices and use-of-force policies in the fatal 2022 shooting of Taylor Lowery.
Filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas, the lawsuit, The Estate of Taylor Lowery v. City of Topeka, et al., was brought after Lowery was shot and killed during an encounter with Topeka police officers in October 2022. According to the amended complaint, officers fired more than 34 bullets at the unarmed victim in two volleys of gunfire and delayed providing medical care after he fell wounded on the pavement.
The amended complaint raises various issues regarding de-escalation practices, use-of-force policies, officer supervision and the medical response by the officers involved in the shooting of Lowery.
According to the lawsuit, police officers responded to a domestic violence call involving Taylor Lowery, whom family members believed was using drugs and acting incoherently. According to the lawsuit, the 911 caller expressed concern that police would kill Lowery because he believed Lowery might be carrying a weapon.
According to the lawsuit, the situation quickly escalated for several reasons, based on body camera footage and dispatch data. The lawsuit states officers issued a “Signal 13” distress call despite officers’ own testimony indicating there was no actual threat.
The amended complaint further alleges that, although armed with nonlethal tools such as Tasers and batons, officers pointed guns at Lowery, who allegedly did not have any weapons on him.
Attorneys representing the estate of Taylor Lowery claim the issue became even more troubling after police training material was discovered that included a slide instructing officers to “Treat all parties with professional respect.”
The discovery of the statement has sparked outrage and has been described as offensive by police accountability advocates and members of Lowery’s family, who have pushed for reforms within the police department to prevent the lethal use of force against citizens.
The National Police Accountability Project recently joined the lawsuit in representing Lowery’s family and commented on the training language, claiming it explains officers’ actions and how they escalated the situation instead of attempting to defuse it.
According to the amended complaint, Lowery was approached in the parking lot of a Kwik Shop as part of a domestic disturbance call, after which Sgt. Scott McEntire and Detective Alex Wall shot the man while he was holding a knife.
The lawsuit alleges Lowery dropped the knife but still attempted to flee. Later, Lowery allegedly attempted to flee again while holding a socket wrench, at which point officers opened fire again, mortally wounding him.
The amended complaint states Lowery was shot with more than 34 bullets, including shots fired by Sgt. Scott McEntire, Detective Alex Wall and Deputy Shane Jones.
The complaint also alleges the officers provided inadequate medical treatment to the severely wounded man. According to the complaint, officers delayed calling for an ambulance and medical assistance for several minutes despite Lowery’s critical condition.
The lawsuit further claims officers handcuffed Lowery after he lost consciousness and only then called for medical assistance.
According to the lawsuit, the case demonstrates a broader pattern in Topeka police shootings that occurred in 2022. The amended complaint references several other fatalities involving the department, including the deaths of Christopher Kelley and Dylan Walstrom, in an effort to show that the City of Topeka repeatedly violated police procedures.
Relatives of men killed by Topeka police officers in previous years continue pressuring city officials for reform. According to recent reports by WIBW News, relatives have criticized the lack of transparency in cases involving deadly force and condemned the department’s failure to disclose details about shootings to the public, along with delays in releasing body camera footage to family members.
According to the amended complaint, the City of Topeka maintained unconstitutional policies and customs regarding excessive use of force, inadequate de-escalation training and failure to provide adequate medical assistance to injured individuals.
The lawsuit seeks monetary and punitive damages, as well as police reforms within the department.
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