Family Files Lawsuit After Teenage Son With Autism Shot By SLC Police

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The family of a 13-year-old boy with autism who was shot and injured by police in September has filed a federal lawsuit claiming the officer was not justified in the shooting.

The lawsuit also listed Chief Mike Brown with the Salt Lake City Police Department, claiming officers were not properly trained when responding to the mother’s call for help with her son on Sept. 4.

“The police knew of that censoring disability. They knew that he would run away,” said Nathan Morris, who is representing the family of Linden Cameron, who was shot multiple times. Morris said Cameron was running away, was unarmed, did not commit a crime, did not threaten officers and is just 13 years old.

“That’s what’s really troubling to me is that they knew where this was going. Nobody intervened nobody called the supervisor nobody really thought ‘How should we go about this?’ Nobody tried to use less than lethal force,” Morris told KSL.  

Morris said the officer fired 11 times and Cameron was hit seven or eight times. 

Cameron spent weeks in the hospital in critical condition. He is now out of the hospital, but his family said he has injuries that will be with him for the rest of his life.

Morris said Cameron’s left arm is partially paralyzed and he has been extremely emotionally traumatized by the event. 

“It was clear that he had nothing in his hands, there was no threatening behavior or motion,” said Morris. 

The Salt Lake City Police Department released a statement saying police have not seen the lawsuit yet and will not be commenting because of pending litigation.

The mayor’s office is not commenting either at this time.

The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office said the investigation on whether charges will be brought against the officer is ongoing.