A man paralyzed in a shooting is suing Columbus police over “reckless” shooting

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A family is suing Columbus police for what his attorney described as officers’ reckless disregard for public safety when they opened fire during a shooting in the Short North that left a man paralyzed.

Jalen and Ja-Dawn Bradley were in the Short North on May 6, 2023, when a group of men shot them both, the couple’s lawsuit filed Monday says. But the brother and sister claim that after they were shot, police shot Jalen nearly a dozen times in the back and neck while the two ran for cover, resulting in his paralysis.

As Columbus police describe it, officers responded to a “gunshot explosion” near 847 North High Street around 2:30 a.m. Police said at the time that officers returned fire, hitting at least one person after they were shot while trying to break up a fight on the sidewalk. However, the Bradleys describe the incident differently.

Jalen, then 20, was legally armed and returned fire at the men who shot him and his sister, the lawsuit says. The lawsuit alleges that Columbus police only began shooting at the Bradleys after the shooting stopped.

As the brother and sister sought safety, the lawsuit says Columbus police shot them at least 20 times. According to the complaint, Jalen was hit 11 times in the back and neck, and Ja-Dawn was hit in the leg and chest.

“My client was barely walking and looking for cover, and the police reloaded and shot him some more,” Jeff Moore, the Bradleys’ attorney, said in an interview. “He needs to be taken care of for the rest of his life, and God knows whether that will be the case or not.”

The officers then handcuffed the fallen Jalen. According to the lawsuit, officers rolled him several times, which aggravated his injuries.

Jalen is now paralyzed and he and Ja-Dawn are traumatized, Moore said. Moore said Jalen is still receiving medical treatment for his injuries and noted that he underwent surgery to remove the shrapnel just last week.

Columbus police have never said how many officers opened fire, although several are named in the lawsuit. On Monday – the same day the Bradleys filed their lawsuit – the Franklin County District Attorney’s Office announced that no officers would be charged in connection with the shooting.

The Bradleys are each seeking more than $14 million in damages. Their lawsuit alleges that not only did officers behave recklessly in the shooting, but that police themselves “encourage officers to aggressively pursue, confront, seize and arrest citizens without cause or probable cause.”

“It was just a reckless situation,” Moore said. “I know they’re trying to keep the peace, but my God, you don’t just go out and blow up an area.”

A Columbus Police spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.