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Aaron Bailey's family settles civil suit over fatal 2017 shooting

Details of settlement not immediately released
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INDIANAPOLIS -- The city of Indianapolis released an undisclosed settlement Monday with the family of Aaron Bailey, the unarmed black man who was fatally shot by two IMPD officers in June 2017.

The settlement resolves a federal civil suit filed against the city of Indianapolis, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, and Officers Carlton Howard and Michael Dinnsen by Bailey’s family in September.

The lawsuit argued that Howard and Dinnsen violated Bailey’s Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights by using excessive force against him after he fled a traffic stop.

A special prosecutor appointed to review the shooting found no cause to bring criminal charges against the officers, and both Carlton and Dinnsen were cleared to return to duty by the Indianapolis Civilian Police Merit Board in May – a rejection of Chief Bryan Roach’s recommendation that they be fired.

READ MORE | Civilian Merit Board clears IMPD officers in Aaron Bailey shooting in 5-2 vote | In emotional testimony, officer recounts fatal shooting of Aaron Bailey | Officer in Aaron Bailey shooting: ‘I thought I was going to die that night’ | IMPD Chief Bryan Roach grilled at termination hearing for officers who shot Aaron Bailey

Following the merit board hearing, RTV6 broke the story that Howard was also the subject of a second civil rights lawsuit over the shooting of Lavon Washington in April 2016. That lawsuit was never brought up during the merit board hearing in the Bailey case.

In response to questions from RTV6, IMPD said the lawsuit “was not relevant” to the Bailey shooting.

READ MORE | IMPD Ofc. Carlton Howard, cleared in Aaron Bailey case, subject of lawsuit in second shooting

Bailey’s family was represented in their suit against the city by attorney Craig Karpe. Karpe could not immediately be reached for comment Monday afternoon.

The details of the settlement were not immediately reported.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

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