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The family of Terrence Bridges Jr., an unarmed Black man who was fatally shot by Kansas City police in 2019, will receive a $5 million settlement from the city.
According to the Kansas City Star, the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners agreed to the settlement with the victim's family in a meeting earlier this week.
Bridges was 30 when he was shot and killed by Officer Dylan Pifer, who was responding to a report of a carjacking. According to police, Bridges was resisting arrest and engaged in a struggle with the officer.
Pifer said he thought Bridges was pulling a gun out of his sweatshirt, prompting him to shoot the 30-year-old.
Bridges' family contends that he was not armed, not resisting arrest, didn't pose a threat to the officer, and wasn't involved in the carjacking.
Tom Porto, an attorney representing the victim's family, said the settlement represents an acknowledgment of the tragedy by the Kansas City Police Department.
“Despite this tragedy, we recognize that police officers have difficult jobs and are frequently faced with making split-second life or death decisions,” Porto said. “The family is grateful that they are now able to put this matter behind them.”
The police department released a statement on the settlement, apologizing to the family.
“The KCPD is sorry for the pain felt by Terrence Bridges’ family,” police spokesperson Sgt. Jacob Becchina said. “We are pleased everyone was able to come to a mutually agreeable resolution.”
Pifer is still on the police force and wasn't charged in the fatal shooting.
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