WEST HARTFORD, Conn. — The family of a man shot to death during an interaction with West Hartford police is calling for justice and accountability.
It was just over a year ago when deadly force was used on Mike Alexander-Garcia. Now, his family is suing.
A 66-page complaint was filed with the court Aug. 7. The lawsuit alleges that Alexander-Garcia was wrongfully killed after he fled from police in a stolen vehicle.
Body camera video of the August 2023 incident shows West Hartford Police Officer Andrew Teeter confronting the fleeing stolen vehicle suspect as he tried to carjack another vehicle in a bay of the Town Fair Tire service center on New Britain Avenue.
As the incident unfolded, Teeter threw his K9 into the vehicle and then fired five shots.
“That’s why we are here today because the town of West Hartford shot a man over a $10,000 car,” remarked Atty. Ken Krayeske of BBB Attorneys.
Alexander-Garcia’s mother and sister stood silently alongside their attorneys during a news conference held outside West Hartford Town Hall Wednesday. They are suing Teeter, the police department and the town. In the complaint they claim Teeter “had no justification” to fire his gun and “had no intention of apprehending” Alexander-Garcia. They call his use of deadly force “inevitable.”
“We have the simple words of Mike Alexander-Garcia when he stated numerous times, 'Please don’t kill me,'” recalled Atty. Peter Bowman of BBB Attorneys as he read aloud from an easel that depicted those words.
The lawsuit claims Alexander-Garcia’s killing was in violation of Connecticut’s Police Accountability Act, the State Constitution and department policy.
“That in and of itself is the biggest violation here today,” said Bowman.
It also alleges that the town has problems with racial profiling, citing a report by the Racial Profiling Prohibition Project which found, “WHPD conducted minority traffic stops at a 10.5% higher rate than the statewide average.”
“Our lawsuit alleges that he was targeted as a result of his race, and that is supported by the historical data as well as where this incident occurred,” explained Bowman.
They allege a civil rights violation and want the U.S. Department of Justice to get involved.
“West Hartford has to do better, and we think that federal intervention is the way to do it,” remarked Krayeske.
In a statement, West Hartford Corporation Counsel Dallas Dodge said the town is "committed to police accountability and transparency. A lawsuit at this stage contains unproven allegations."
The attorneys couldn’t answer why Alexander-Garcia was in a stolen vehicle or why he decided to flee. They also couldn’t say if he’d still be alive today if not for those choices.
“I don’t think we can answer that question without more information about what happened that day that the town of West Hartford has refused to provide,” said Dodge.
The town of West Hartford told FOX61 that Teeter currently remains on desk duty.
The CT Office of the Inspector General is investigating the use of force and hasn’t ruled yet whether it was justified or not.
----
Matt Caron is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at mcaron@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
----
Do you have a story idea or something on your mind you want to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at newstips@fox61.com.
----
HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET FOX61 NEWS
Download the FOX61 News APP
iTunes: Click here to download
Google Play: Click here to download
Stream Live on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching FOX61.
Steam Live on FIRE TV: Search ‘FOX61’ and click ‘Get’ to download.