DENVER — The city of Denver will pay $500,000 to a college student who was shot in the eye by Denver police while protesting after the death of George Floyd.
The Denver City Council unanimously approved the payout Monday without discussion, settling the lawsuit filed against the Denver Police Department in October 2020. The $500,000 will be payable to the civil rights firm Killmer, Lane & Newman’s client trust account.
Michael Acker was shot in the eye by a 40mm baton round fired by police on May 28, 2020. The shot broke the glass on the gas mask Acker was wearing, shattering glass in his eye and eyelid. Though his eyesight ended up being okay, Acker required seven stitches on his forehead, two on his nose and three on his upper eyelid, the lawsuit said.
“Rather than protecting and serving, Denver officers in these protests were a roving gang cosplaying as an occupying military force,” the lawsuit said. “As a result, peaceful protesters against police brutality suffered unprecedented brutality by Denver police officers.”
The lawsuit named Police Chief Paul Pazen, Cpl. Daniel Felkins and Sgt. David Abeyta. It claimed that Pazen approved the use of force, Felkins fired the shot and Abeyta was present when the round was shot and didn’t intervene.
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