Family of Wilmington police shooting victim disputes department’s account as they announce plan to sue city for $25 million

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Delaware state and local officials on Thursday released police body camera videos of last month’s fatal shooting of 19-year-old Kadir Skinner by a Wilmington police officer. The family is disputing law enforcement’s version of events.

The videos were jointly made public by the state Department of Justice, the city of Wilmington and the Wilmington Police Department. The DOJ’s Division of Civil Rights and Public Trust is investigating the incident.

Wilmington Mayor John Carney posted on Facebook that the city remained committed to a thorough and complete independent investigation by the DOJ and the internal investigation by Wilmington police.

Family announces intent to sue for $25 million

The Skinner family and their lawyers held a news conference Thursday shortly after the videos were made public to call for transparency and announce plans to sue the city for $25 million. Family members did not take questions.

“It’s not enough. No amount of money can get this son back,” attorney Harry Daniels said. “It’s not enough. But we are going to do everything we can do in our power to get some redress and get a measure of justice.”

Attorney Chance Lynch said the family was calling for charges to be brought against the officer who shot Skinner.

“We’re not asking for anything special. We’re just asking for the same level of accountability to be placed upon this officer who took an oath to protect and to serve,” Lynch said. “A badge is not a license to take an innocent life.”

‘Shots fired’

According to the Wilmington Police Department, officers were in northeast Wilmington on June 24 when they saw Skinner exit a residence and point a gun toward a crowd of people. A confrontation led to a foot chase, during which an officer shot Skinner in the buttocks.

The lawyers for the family point to the newly released body cam videos to back up their account of that night.

The first video shows an officer exiting his vehicle, pursuing Skinner while the officer held a gun in his right hand. A staccato of loud cracks can be heard on the video. The officer then yells “shots fired” into his radio. The faces and names of witnesses and officers at the scene are redacted in the videos.

The video also shows the officer handcuffing Skinner on the ground as he tells other law enforcement officials to find the gun allegedly belonging to the 19-year-old. In the video, Skinner can be heard telling officers he has no weapon on him, and no gun appears to be taken from his possession. Police say a loaded handgun with an extended magazine they allege was Skinner’s was recovered at the scene.

“I can’t breathe,” Skinner says repeatedly, lying on the ground, as officers threaten to use tasers on a crowd gathered during the chaotic aftermath of the shooting.

The family’s attorneys dispute there was a crowd of people outside the house Skinner exited before the shooting. They also argue the videos prove there was no confrontation and Skinner did not have or point a gun at anyone that night.

“Kadir Skinner should be alive and growing into his career with his mother, with his father and his siblings, and growing in this community,” Lynch said. “Because the reality is this: Not only did [Rashai Skinner] and [Durrell Dollard] lose a son, this community lost a son, and [law enforcement] should be held accountable.”

DOJ investigation continues

In a statement, DOJ officials said that investigators have completed some beginning steps, including witness interviews, canvassing neighborhoods and meeting with the family. The agency said that consistent with DOJ policy, a fully detailed public report and legal analysis will be released after the investigation is completed where the officers involved will be identified and all evidence published.