Suit filed in Fresno police killing
Father of Dylan Noble says officers should’ve used less-lethal force instead of gunfire.
The father of an unarmed 19-year-old man who was killed by Fresno police has sued the city, saying officers should have used less-lethal force.
The civil lawsuit filed Friday in Fresno County Superior Court comes more than three months after two officers shot Dylan Noble at a gas station.
His father, Darren Noble, contends that Officers Raymond Camacho and Robert Chavez plotted to inflict injury on his son.
“The officers never had an objectively reasonable basis to shoot Dylan Noble,” the lawsuit said. “They failed to first use, or attempt to use, the canine at the scene. At no time did they use, or attempt to use, a Taser, OC [pepper] spray, or other nonlethal remedies .... At no time did they use, or attempt to use, anything but deadly force.”
Dylan Noble’s death was “needless and avoidable,” according to the lawsuit.
Attorney Warren Paboojian said Darren Noble is seeking unspecified damages as well as policy changes within the city and its Police Department.
The Fresno city attorney declined to comment. “Our policy is not to discuss any pending or ongoing legal matters,” the office said.
Local and federal authorities are investigating Dylan Noble’s death, which gained national attention and sparked protests.
Officers encountered his pickup truck June 25 while searching for an armed suspect. They signaled for Noble to stop, but he did not pull over. Police chased him to a gas station.
In July, Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer released recordings from the officers’ body cameras that showed the confrontation between Noble and police.
An officer is heard yelling: “Turn off the truck. Get your hands out the window. Both hands out the window.” Later, an officer screams: “Let me see both your hands .... Get both your hands out.”
Noble got out of the truck and approached, then moved away from, officers, who called for backup and gave 30 commands urging Noble to show his hands, lift his hands or lie down on the ground, the chief said. The young man ignored the officers’ orders and carried an object in his right hand. Noble yelled that he hated his life.
According to the lawsuit, Camacho shot Noble twice, causing him to fall to the ground. The video footage showed Noble on the ground, moving his hands under his shirt. Camacho then fired a third round, and Chavez fired a fourth after about 12 seconds.
Noble was taken to a hospital, where he died three hours later.