Mother of teen shot by officer files excessive force lawsuit
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — A mother has sued a Fort Wayne police officer in federal court, alleging he used excessive force when he fired at her 17-year-old son as he chased him and two other teens last month on the city’s south side.
Gina Dodson filed the complaint in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana on Wednesday. The suit names Officer Robert Hollo as an individual and claims he used excessive force “in violation of the U.S. Constitution” when he fired off four shots at the boy just before 1:30 p.m. June 21 in the 2800 block of Smith Street, near the Whitney M. Young Early Childhood Center at East Pontiac Street.
Hollo said he was investigating reports of gang activity in the area, in an unmarked car, when three teenagers approached the vehicle. As the teens walked up, Hollo reportedly got out of the squad car.
At that point, Hollo reported the teens noticed he was an officer, and they ran off. As Hollo chased after them, Police Chief Garry Hamilton said witnesses heard him order them to stop repeatedly and they did not comply.
At some point then, Hollo said he thought he saw a gun on one of the teens. He then fired four shots, one that struck the teen in his lower back. The other two teens ran off.
No gun was found on the teen, who has not been named. He was seriously hurt.
Gina Dodson told 24-Hour News 8’s sister station, WANE, 15 days after the shooting that Hollo should be removed from the force, or at least demoted to “answering a telephone or something like that, but surely not out here gunning down people’s children.”
Hollo, an eight-year veteran of the Fort Wayne Police Department, has had two letters of reprimand and a suspension for police vehicle crashes. He’s also had two letters of praise. He currently has two pending lawsuits, and another one has been settled.
The lawsuit seeks both compensatory and punitive damages against Officer Hollo. The exact monetary amount is unspecified at this time.
The Fort Wayne City Attorney’s office said Thursday it would not comment on pending litigation. The police department said the case remains under investigation.