Winter Park, FL: A lawsuit was filed on Thursday by the family of a man who was fatally shot by police at a Winter Park wedding over two years ago, suing the city over his death.
In February 2022, authorities were called to the Winter Park Events Center to address a man attacking attendees at a wedding reception.
Court filings state that Daniel Knight, 39, was handed an excessive amount of wine by a caterer at his niece’s wedding, leading to his intoxication.
The manager of the event center promptly contacted 911 to report that Knight was exhibiting violent behavior and physically assaulting individuals by throwing them to the ground, as indicated in the documents.
Police reported that Knight engaged in physical combat with a responding officer, causing the officer to lose consciousness. Subsequently, another cop used a Taser, but it was ineffective in subduing Knight, as investigators clarified.
The cop shot Knight five times as Knight approached him, according to the authorities. Knight succumbed to his injuries and passed away at the hospital. The lawsuit alleges that Knight was not carrying any weapons and had his hands in plain sight, accusing the officers of attempting to detain him illegally.
The lawsuit alleges that an officer seized Knight’s sister’s arm when she positioned herself in front of Knight to shield him from what she believed was unwarranted police involvement.
The lawsuit claims that Knight attempted to protect her by hitting the officer. Last year, the Florida State Attorney’s Office concluded that the police did not violate any laws during the shooting.
The lawsuit alleges that the police violated civil rights and caused wrongful death in Knight’s shooting. The lawsuit also alleges that the city was negligent in allowing Knight to be offered an excessive amount of alcohol at the wedding.
The lawsuit states that Knight’s family is pursuing compensation under the Florida Wrongful Death Act for various losses and expenses, including funeral and burial costs.