Family claims police used excessive force against a man shot by officers last year

Rachel Spacek
·2 min read

The mother and sister of a Canyon County man who was shot by Nampa police in December after he stabbed an officer during a traffic stop are claiming officers used excessive force and were not trained properly.

Leonel Salinas, 34, was killed by police during a traffic stop on Dec. 18. According to a news release from the Nampa Police Department, officers pulled a vehicle over on 11th Avenue North, in Nampa. Salinas was in the passenger seat, police said. While arresting Salinas, officers said, he fought with them and stabbed one officer in the face. Officers said that as he went to stab a second officer, they shot him.

The police have yet to say how many times Salinas was shot.

The Canyon County Critical Incident Task Force began an investigation into the shooting, the release said. The investigation is ongoing.

The family’s allegations came in a tort claim on behalf of Salinas’ mother and sister by Hammond Law, a Caldwell firm.

A tort claim is a civil claim made against a state or local government for a wrongful or negligent act. A tort claim is a precursor to a lawsuit, but not all plaintiffs follow up unanswered claims by suing.

The claim seeks compensation from the Nampa Police Department, the city of Nampa, the Caldwell Police Department, the city of Caldwell, Canyon County and the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office.

The claim says the agencies failed to effectively train the officers how to avoid excessive force. The family also claims the officers failed to comply with internal polices on excessive force, used inappropriate arrest powers, used deadly and excessive force, and inflicted inappropriate or unlawful physical and emotional distress.

The extent of the damage is unknown, the claim says, because the agencies “have not been forthcoming with documents and information requested by the family and counsel herein to verify the contents and nature of the damages and actions and inactions.”

The damages, according to the claim, include loss of life, loss of support, loss of society and association, and emotional distress. It claims Salinas’ mother’s economic losses are estimated to be over $500,000.

The tort claim said officers failed to provide life-saving measures for Salinas. According to the December news release, officers performed first aid on Salinas, but he died on scene.

Most of the agencies involved did not respond to a Statesman request for comment. Nampa Police Department spokesman Eric Skoglund said he had no comment. Joe Decker, Canyon County spokesman, said the county does not comment on pending litigation.

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