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L.A. City Council Approves $1.5 Million Settlement In Ezell Ford Case
People look at a mural of Ezell Ford at the site where he was shot and killed by two LAPD officers in August, on December 29, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)
The Los Angeles City Council approved on Wednesday a $1.5 million payment that settles a lawsuit filed by the family of Ezell Ford, who was fatally shot by LAPD officers in 2014, reports CBS 2.
Ford was near his home in South L.A. when he was shot by officers, Sharlton Wampler and Antonio Villegas. The officers said that they'd approached Ford with intentions of speaking with him, but Ford walked away. A struggle later ensued, with Ford allegedly getting on top of Wampler. Villegas fired at Ford, as did Wampler, who got a hold of his backup weapon during the struggle. The officers later claimed that Ford was gaining control of Wampler's main service weapon.
In late January, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced that it would not be filing charges against the officers. The office said that the two had "acted lawfully in self-defense and in defense of others."
Ford was 25 at the time of the shooting. He had been reportedly diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia in the past, according to the L.A. Times.
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