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Attorneys for the family of a Los Angeles Police Department officer said their client was looking into another officer taking part in the training simulation for gang rape when he died earlier this year.
A family lawyer said on Monday that Houston Tipping, 32, passed away after being hurt by the cop under investigation in May while participating in a training exercise on a bicycle. Tipping had the police officer’s alleged sexual assault incident report.
The family of Tipping is suing the police force for wrongful death.
At a press conference, attorney Bradley Gage stated, “I’m clearly saying that at least one officer engaged in an abuse of force in order to attempt and fear or hurt Officer Tipping in order to keep him from investigating a claim of rape.”
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Four LAPD officers were allegedly involved in the alleged sexual assault, which took place in July 2021. One of the cops took part in the training exercise the day Tipping died, according to Gage.
Gage claimed that although the training “was supposed to be bicycle training,” it somehow turned into a “grappling exercise” that the LAPD claimed resulted in Tipping’s death.
Medical records indicate that Tipping “may have been dropped” on his head during the training exercise, but Gage claims that the deceased officer was actually beaten to death by other cops.
Tipping’s death was found to be an accident by a county medical examiner, and his wounds were caused by attempts to save his life.
According to Police Chief Michel Moore’s statement to the LAPD Board of Police Commissioners in June, “Officer Tipping did not incur any laceration to the head” and “was also neither struck or beaten during this training session.” He did struggle with another cop, and as a result of their collision with the ground, his spinal cord was severely injured.
However, Tipping’s mother, Shirley Huffman, asserts in her complaint that her son died during a drill meant to “simulate a mob” attack and that his demise was due to “deliberate acts,” adding that Tipping’s killing was purposeful.
According to Gage, Tipping sustained a broken neck, three broken ribs, a lacerated liver, cranial injuries, and head trauma. According to him, the officer’s heart eventually stopped beating as a result of his wounds, leaving him paralyzed.
The family of
Tipping is suing the police force for wrongful death.
“He had three subdural hematomas on the left side and three on the right side of his head. There is no way that grappling could have resulted in those wounds in the manner that the LAPD claimed, “The lawyer added.
He also addressed the alleged sexual assault in 2021.
Four police officers were involved in a woman’s sexual assault in the Los Angeles region in July 2021, according to Gage. Officer Tipping took a report, and from what I’ve seen of it, the female victim said she had been raped by four different LAPD officers.
According to Gage, “one of the officers that was at the bicycle training correlates with the identify of one of the cops that is accused of rape.” He alleges that Tipping was injured because of this cop.
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Gage stated that “our investigation indicates that yes, it was” even though he was unable to establish that the accused officer was the one actively participating in the training exercise with Tipping. According to Gage, “murder is what transpired,” he told reporters.
The lawyer stated earlier on Monday that he intended to release fresh tapes of the instruction Tipping received.
