The mother of a man shot dead by Alameda County sheriff’s deputies while he was allegedly having a mental health crisis has filed a lawsuit alleging deputies unnecessarily escalated the encounter, used excessive force and delayed medical aid after the shooting.
Kristina Anderson filed the complaint Tuesday on behalf of her son, Anthony Anderson, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, listing Alameda County and 10 unidentified sheriff’s employees as defendants.Anthony Anderson, 40, was near his home on the 1600 block of Selborne Drive in San Leandro on Feb. 9, when sheriff’s deputies responded to the residence for a welfare check. The lawsuit alleges that Anderson was experiencing a mental health crisis at the time. The complaint contends that deputies failed to plan for the encounter before contacting Anderson, and instead escalated the situation by shouting overlapping commands while pointing firearms at him. The lawsuit alleges deputies ultimately fatally shot Anderson while he was outside his home. California Attorney General Rob Bonta is investigating the case, pursuant to a state law that requires investigations of all fatal law enforcement shootings of unarmed civilians. Known as “Anthony Ant,” Anderson was remembered by the Bay Area music scene as a great trumpet player, who brought musicians together, especially at the Starry Plough in Berkeley, according to the Mercury News. According to the lawsuit, Anderson was not armed with a gun, had not physically injured anyone, was not attempting to flee and did not pose an immediate threat of death or serious bodily injury to deputies or others when he was shot.The lawsuit also claims deputies failed to use available de-escalation tactics or less-lethal alternatives, such as additional verbal communication, conducted energy weapons, or taking cover if they believed Anderson posed a threat.
In addition, the complaint alleges deputies waited several minutes before requesting or providing medical care after the shooting and delayed paramedics from treating Anderson…