Scott family drops lawsuit against Metro Police over Costco killing

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Jackie Valley

Friends and supporters mark the one-year anniversary of Erik Scott’s death outside the Summerlin Costco, where he was fatally shot by Metro Police officers.

Tue, Mar 13, 2012 (8:21 p.m.)

Erik Scott family drops lawsuit against Metro

KSNV coverage of the family of Erik Scott dropping their case against Metro Police. Scott was shot and killed by officers in July 2010 at a Summerlin Costco, March 13, 2012.

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Bill Scott, father of Erik Scott, leaves the courtroom after a verdict in a coroner's inquest for Erik Scott at the Regional Justice Center Tuesday, September 28, 2010. The jury found that the shooting of Erik Scott was justified. Scott was shot and killed by Metro Police Officers at the Summerlin Costco store on July 10.

After nearly two years of legal proceedings, the family of Erik Scott — a 38-year-old who was shot and killed at a Costco store by police on July 10, 2010 — has dropped its lawsuit against Metro Police.

The family agreed to drop the suit as long as Metro agreed not to pursue reimbursement for legal fees, police said.

“It just made no sense to continue with this lawsuit,” said Bill Scott, father of Erik Scott. “We’re extremely disappointed.”

Officers fired at Scott after he failed to surrender at a Costco at 801 South Pavilion Center Drive in Summerlin, police said.

A coroner’s inquest conducted in September 2010 found that officers William Mosher, Joshua Stark and Thomas Mendiola were justified in the shooting.

But witness accounts of the incident were mismatched. Shoppers that day described Scott as acting erratically, damaging merchandise and wearing a pistol on his waistband. Other witnesses provided conflicting statements saying Scott did not appear to be a threat.

“I firmly believe Erik was murdered,” Bill Scott said. “The law has very little to do with justice.”

In January 2011 the family dropped a case against Costco saying their case against Metro Police was stronger.

The Scott family has until July to consider bringing up a lawsuit against the grocery company in accordance with a two-year state court statute of limitations.

“As sheriff my hope is that the Scott case has shown the community that it is best to reserve judgment until a thorough investigation can be done,” said Sheriff Doug Gillespie in a news release. “Although the Scott family dropped their lawsuit, at the end of the day we still have a family who grieves the loss of their son and brother.”

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