ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Legal Newsline) - A civil rights action was recently filed against the City of Anchorage, its police department and officers in relation to the April 2019 death of Bishar Ali Hassan.
The suit was filed March 30 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska in Anchorage by attorney Rex Lamont Butler on behalf of the plaintiffs, Ahmed Hassan and Bilay Aden Iris.
The suit alleges that Bishar Ali Hassan was stopped by Anchorage Police Officer Matthew Hall, who was responding to reports of a man fitting his description brandishing a firearm in public, though neither pointing the firearm at anyone else or making threats. Hall allegedly encountered Hassan after he exited a bus and was walking along a sidewalk.
After an interaction between the two in which the suit alleges Hassan was cooperative and informed Hall he was carrying a toy gun and not a real gun, Hall fired on and struck Hassan. The suit alleges that Hall fired multiple shots, despite knowing Hassan was no longer presenting any potential threat after dropping the toy gun and falling over.
The suit also alleges that two other officers, Nathan Lewis and Brett Eggiman, fired shots at Hassan after he had dropped the toy gun and fallen to the ground.
The plaintiffs are seeking exemplary and punitive damages, as well as attorney’s fees.