The police are taught from their first day of attendance at the academy to preserve human life whenever possible. While this is sometimes an ideal that's simply not possible, there are situations that can arise where it seems that this overriding priority is not followed, even when only the best of intentions are present. Recently, a strange story unfolded where a man was accidentally shot while Seward police were taking down a bear that had become a danger to others in the area.
According to witnesses, this accidental shooting occurred on August 26th when Evan Toloff had just dressed for his shift at Captain Jack's Seafood Locker in Seward. He wears thick clothing to keep warm, and these clothes may have saved his life. Just as he was preparing to begin work, he heard a commotion in the parking lot. Seward police had chased a bear from the pier to this area located at 303 South Harbor Street. They shot the bear, and the second shot apparently went through the animal, ricocheted off of something nearby and struck Mr. Toloff, 19, in the abdomen.
The force of the shot knocked him backwards and took the wind out of him. Just as he was coming to his feet, his manager at his job showed him a lump of lead that had apparently hit him but had not pierced his skin. He was extremely lucky to not have been killed, and the combination of the shot traveling through the bear and the obstruction that the shot hit along with his thick clothes likely made the difference between serious injury or worse and injuries that Mr. Toloff will overcome.
Alaska Personal Injury Lawyers
We're relieved that no one was killed in this incident, but it could give rise to a claim for negligence by the person who was shot. When situations like these arise, a person who has been harmed needs to take additional steps to pursue his or her legal rights when a defendant is either a public entity or is working for a public entity. In this situation, that would include filing a notice of a claim with the city that the local government must respond to before moving forward with a claim.
If you or someone you love has been harmed by a negligent public employee, you need to seek the help of Alaska personal injury lawyers who have been holding individuals and entities of all types accountable for the harm they have caused for many years. Contact Barber & Banker today to schedule a free initial consultation.
Alaska Personal Injury Lawyer