Parents of man killed by Auburn police file wrongful death suit

Auburn Police shoot, kill a man armed with a knife

A police officer shot and killed a man early Monday morning in Auburn, Washington after police responded to a call of a verbal domestic dispute.

SEATTLE, Wash. - The parents of a man killed by Auburn police have filed a federal wrongful death and civil rights lawsuit alleging an officer shot Enosa Strickland Jr. in the back of the head while he was lying in a parking lot, according to The Seattle Times.

On Friday, The Seattle Times reported that the lawsuit claims officer Kenneth Lyman has an extensive history of using force and was carrying an unapproved and "illegal" dagger that he later claimed Strickland had grabbed and refused to drop during a struggle.

The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Seattle.

A spokeswoman for the city of Auburn said the city was aware of the lawsuit but otherwise declined to comment.

On May 20, 2019, Auburn police were called to the Palermo Apartment complex near Lake Tapps Parkway East and 71st Street Southeast at about 12:47 a.m., according to the Auburn Police Department.

Dave Colglazier with Auburn police says 26-year-old Enosa Strickland Jr. and two responding officers engaged in a physical fight. Coglazier reported that during the fight, Enosa allegedly showed a knife that he refused to drop. A single shot was fired by an officer, striking and killing the man.

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None of the involved officers were hurt, and the woman wasn't injured.