DENVER — The father of Isabella Thallas and her boyfriend are taking legal action nearly a year to the day she was shot and killed with an AK-47 that belonged to a Denver Police sergeant who hadn't reported it stolen.
On Tuesday, her father Josh Thallas and boyfriend Darion Simon filed a lawsuit in state district court against murder suspect Michael Close and former Denver Police (DPD) sergeant Daniel Politica.
The lawsuit also names Politica’s company, Tyrant Arms, LLC as a defendant.
Isabella Thallas was fatally shot on June 10, 2020, while walking a dog in a downtown alleyway with Simon, who was also shot but survived.
>The video above aired in May when it was learned that Politica resigned
Close is accused of firing at the couple through his apartment window with an AK-47 during a dispute about the dog defecating in the alleyway.
Close has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity and faces 22 charges, including first-degree murder and using an illegal high-capacity magazine.
Close is accused of using an AK-47 that belongs to Politica, who is his friend and former police sergeant.
Politica didn’t report the gun missing until the day of the murder.
“Politica breached his duty by negligently entrusting the use of his weapon and ammunition to Michael Close knowing he was a person with a history of irresponsible, reckless, and negligent behavior,” the lawsuit says.
Politica resigned from the DPD in March, however, he never faced any discipline over his missing AK-47 being used in the murder.
DPD said at the time the gun was Politica’s personal weapon and not an approved firearm for on-duty use, which wouldn’t make the incident subject to an internal affairs investigation.
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