Family of man fatally shot by Forest Park police officer files lawsuit

The relatives of a 26-year-old man who was shot and killed by a Forest Park police officer say there's a cover-up going on.

Police have said the shooting was justified. Now, the victim's family is suing.

“Based on what we've got, which is nothing, I think they're lying too. That's why we want answers,” said the victim’s sister, Daisy Perez.

Perez’s brother Marco Gomez was killed a year ago by a Forest Park police officer. Police said Gomez was driving a stolen car that may have been involved in a hit-and-run when an officer on foot confronted him at Harlem and Jackson. They say Gomez sped toward the officer, who opened fire.

Lawyers for the Gomez family says he was unarmed, and driving away from the officer.

“The family is seeking the truth. We think based on the evidence that we have that it was an unjustified and unreasonable use of deadly force by the Forest Park officer,” said attorney Andrew Stroth.    

Gomez's family believes that security cameras from a Jiffy Lube and from a service station across the street captured the incident on video. But they claim police won't show them those tapes.

“They keep on saying it's under investigation, it's under investigation. Like Andrew said, we just want answers,” Perez said.

Eric Russell, an advocate of police reform, says he has seen a portion of one security video and it shows that Lopez was driving away from the officer, not toward him.

“What I saw is a clear case of murder. This officer was not in jeopardy of losing his life,” Russell said.

Forest Park police did not respond to our request for comment on the new lawsuit. The Illinois State Police, Public Integrity Unit is investigating the shooting, but also did not get back to us.

The family's lawsuit alleges that there was a conspiracy in the police department to create false reports related to the shooting.