Katelynn Rose Smith, who was reportedly suicidal at the time of her gunshot death on New Year’s Day, is being sued by the City of Longview and three police officers. Along with Officers Elijah Heston, Dylan Fletcher, and Caitlyn Woolcott-Rose, Smith’s mother, Danielle Whiting, is leading the complaint against the city. According to information from KOIN, the Pierce County-based Mark Lindquist Law firm filed the lawsuit, which claims that the Longview Police Department violated the American Disabilities Act and other civil rights laws by failing to adequately train its officers to handle mental health crises.
OPB said that Smith had previously provoked police calls for suicidal behavior, which sparked the altercation that resulted in the deadly shooting. Smith had previously been under the suspicion of local police authorities due to her mental health issues after being involuntarily confined at a nearby hospital. According to state law enforcement records, all of the participating officers—Heston for six years, Fletcher and Woolcott-Rose for two—remain current members of the Longview Police Department.
The family claims that before Smith was slain, the Longview police officers failed to defuse the situation. Smith’s family is suing Smith for not only monetary damages but also for justice since they believe that Smith’s death was needless and that her two young children were left in the care of their grandma. According to the KGW article, the family is portrayed by a request for “compassionate intervention” rather than the tragic, fatal outcome that transpired, reflecting their hurt and need for answers.
According to a city of Longview representative, they are unable to comment on any ongoing legal proceedings. But because officers Heston, Fletcher, and Woolcott-Rose are still on duty, the complaint fails to mention the conflict between duty and the serious outcomes that can occur when law enforcement procedures collide with mental health crises.
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