Estate of Man Shot By Police Settles Wrongful Death Lawsuit For $225,000
Niagara Falls city will pay $225,000 to settle a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the daughter of a Lockport man, Jonah R. Drisdom, who was shot by an off-duty police officer outside Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center. Drisdom, 47, was shot to death by Walter R. Nichols Jr., an off-duty officer who was providing security at the hospital where Drisdom was a psychiatric patient. Drisdom left the hospital in a hurry with what turned out to be a harmless butter knife.
Using deadly force to shoot a mental patient who is only armed with a butter knife and where there were alternative methods to stop him is not justified. In this case, as in other cases where a loved one is killed, it is important to involve an attorney early in the process to protect your rights.
