Wife of Iowa Man Shot by Cops Sues Over Death

The wife of an , Iowa, man who was fatally shot by authorities during a May 2010 standoff has filed a federal lawsuit against law enforcement agencies, claiming they used excessive force and were negligent.

Lorna Kimsey said in the lawsuit, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court for Southern Iowa, that authorities violated Randall Kimsey’s rights when they entered his home, sparking the fatal shooting.

The Des Moines Register reported that the filing claims officers who were investigating reports of harassing phone calls to a neighbor went to the Kimsey home and asked to speak with Randall, who was sleeping. He came to the door allegedly armed with a handgun, then turned his back to officers and retreated into his house. A standoff ensued.

Authorities tried for several hours to negotiate with Kimsey before power was cut to the home and six officers entered, setting off flash bombs, according to the lawsuit.

Kimsey came out of an upstairs bedroom and was shot. The lawsuit said Kimsey had 14 bullet wounds and officers left 33 shell casings at the scene.

Boone County Sheriff Ron Fehr declined to comment, saying he hadn’t yet seen the lawsuit.

Fehr said in 2010 that officers decided to go into the house based on Kimsey’s suicidal past and their inability to reach him by phone. He had said Kimsey was shot after he fired two rounds from his own weapon, striking one of the officer’s protected helmets.

The lawsuit requests a jury trial and seeks unspecified monetary compensation.