The City of Gilroy has rejected claims of wrongful death, loss of consortium, loss of support and future support and funeral expenses filed by the family of Gurmit Singh, the man shot and killed by a Gilroy police officer last February.
The City of Gilroy has rejected claims of wrongful death, loss of consortium, loss of support and future support and funeral expenses filed by the family of Gurmit Singh, the man shot and killed by a Gilroy police officer last February.
It is not clear how much the claim was for or whether the family will file a civil suit.
“I don’t want to say anything,” said Paramjit Kaur, Singh’s wife.
Jolie Houston, assistant city attorney, did not immediately return a phone call.
Feb. 8, Officer Eustaquio “Paco” Rodriguez, a six-year veteran of the Gilroy Police Department, was driving westbound on Highway 152 on an hour-long drive back to Gilroy from Gustine, where he served a subpoena. He spotted Gurmit Singh, 33, lying in the roadway with his head over the white line. Singh had been involved in a violent dispute with family members prior to being left on the side of the road, police said. When Rodriguez stopped to help the man, Singh attacked, police said, provoking Rodriguez to pull his gun and fire.
Singh died several hours later from a gunshot wound to the abdomen. He was unarmed, according to the claim.
Kaur said that the city is responsible for Singh’s death because the officer was negligent, was negligently trained and used excessive force when Singh was shot and killed, according to the claim.
Meanwhile, Rodriguez was cleared of the allegations by a criminal grand jury, on the grounds that there was not enough evidence to indict, said Assistant District Attorney David Tompkins. And GPD Sgt. Jim Gillio has finished his internal investigation. He cannot, however, discuss the results, he said.
