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Family of Misty Holt-Singh files suit against city of Stockton

Lawsuit alleges negligence, battery, violations of civil rights in crime spree

(Aug. 18, 2015)
Melinda Meza/KCRA
(Aug. 18, 2015)
SOURCE: Melinda Meza/KCRA
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Family of Misty Holt-Singh files suit against city of Stockton
Lawsuit alleges negligence, battery, violations of civil rights in crime spree
The family of slain hostage Misty Holt-Singh announced Tuesday they are filing a lawsuit against the city of Stockton and the Stockton Police Department.Holt-Singh, a mother of two, was killed during a robbery and police chase in July 2014 in Stockton, where police fired hundreds of shots at the suspects' vehicle that was also carrying Holt-Singh.The complaint reads, in part:"The city of Stockton Police Department exacerbated a bank robbery and endangered innocent civilians by improperly responding to the robbery, engaging in an hour-long, rolling gun battle with the bank robbers through populated city streets and ultimately allowing 32 officers to fire over 600 bullets into the perpetrators' disabled vehicle without command, knowing a hostage was inside."The lawsuit requests a jury trial and includes charges of negligence, battery and violations of civil rights.The suit by Holt-Singh's husband, Paul, and their two kids, Paul Jr. and Mia, seeks unspecified damages.The family filed a complaint earlier in the year with the city and also reached a settlement in July with the Bank of West, where Holt-Singh was initially taken hostage.The lawsuit comes a day after the release of a report commissioned by the Stockton police department that found the 600 shots police fired at the end of the bank robbery were excessive and unnecessary, with some officers only firing their weapons because other officers were shooting.The report by the nonprofit Police Foundation of Washington, D.C. also found some Stockton police officers opened fire with their colleagues standing right in front of them. The report said a lack of planning was partly to blame for the unnecessary shooting.In a statement responding to the report, Police Chief Eric Jones said the department intends to learn everything it can from the findings and use them to improve. Jones has said the robbers posed a risk to officers and the community and had to be stopped.--More on KCRA.com:Misty Holt-Singh's family reaches settlement with Bank of the WestMisty Holt-Singh's husband: 'Things are not transparent'Attorney: Stockton PD negligent in bank robbery response

The family of slain hostage Misty Holt-Singh announced Tuesday they are filing a lawsuit against the city of Stockton and the Stockton Police Department.

Holt-Singh, a mother of two, was killed during a robbery and police chase in July 2014 in Stockton, where police fired hundreds of shots at the suspects' vehicle that was also carrying Holt-Singh.

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The complaint reads, in part:

"The city of Stockton Police Department exacerbated a bank robbery and endangered innocent civilians by improperly responding to the robbery, engaging in an hour-long, rolling gun battle with the bank robbers through populated city streets and ultimately allowing 32 officers to fire over 600 bullets into the perpetrators' disabled vehicle without command, knowing a hostage was inside."

The lawsuit requests a jury trial and includes charges of negligence, battery and violations of civil rights.

The suit by Holt-Singh's husband, Paul, and their two kids, Paul Jr. and Mia, seeks unspecified damages.

The family filed a complaint earlier in the year with the city and also reached a settlement in July with the Bank of West, where Holt-Singh was initially taken hostage.

The lawsuit comes a day after the release of a report commissioned by the Stockton police department that found the 600 shots police fired at the end of the bank robbery were excessive and unnecessary, with some officers only firing their weapons because other officers were shooting.

The report by the nonprofit Police Foundation of Washington, D.C. also found some Stockton police officers opened fire with their colleagues standing right in front of them. The report said a lack of planning was partly to blame for the unnecessary shooting.

In a statement responding to the report, Police Chief Eric Jones said the department intends to learn everything it can from the findings and use them to improve. Jones has said the robbers posed a risk to officers and the community and had to be stopped.

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More on KCRA.com:

Misty Holt-Singh's family reaches settlement with Bank of the West

Misty Holt-Singh's husband: 'Things are not transparent'

Attorney: Stockton PD negligent in bank robbery response