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Google PlayThe mother of LAPD Officer Houston Tipping, who died after suffering a spinal cord injury during a training accident in May, has filed a wrongful death claim against the city.
The Los Angeles Times reports Tipping’s mother filed a notice of claim against the city on Friday, alleging wrongful death and civil rights violations. Tipping, a five-year department veteran, died May 29, three days after the training accident at the agency’s Elysian Park academy. He was laid to rest Wednesday at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills in a funeral attended by police Chief Michel Moore and Mayor Eric Garcetti.
Back in May, the LAPD shed light on Tipping’s death, claiming that he “suffered a catastrophic spinal cord injury” during a training exercise.
“At the time of the accident Officer Tipping was a bike instructor engaged in a training scenario involving grappling with another officer,” the LAPD said in a statement. “During the scenario Officer Tipping fell to the floor and suffered a catastrophic spinal cord injury.”
However, Tipping’s mother alleges her son was “repeatedly struck in the head severely enough that he bled” during an activity that simulated a mob attack, and that he suffered multiple breaks in his neck, which caused his death.
Kelly Muniz, a spokesperson for the LAPD, told the Los Angeles Times that the department could not comment on the claim. “The department has launched its own investigation into the incident, in part to determine whether “there are any changes that need to be made,” Muniz said.
