Widow of Man Shot by Pasco Police Files $25 Million Claim

Friday afternoon Tri-Cities police officials investigating the fatal shooting of 35-year-old Antonio Zambrano-Montes gave a media briefing. Nearly 40 people have come forward saying they witnessed the incident.

The widow of Montes, Teresa de Jesus Meraz of Atwater, California, has filed a $25 million claim against the City of Pasco on behalf of herself and two young daughters. A claim is the preliminary step to a lawsuit and was filed by Yakima Attorney George Paul Trejo Jr., and California attorney law firm Carrazco Law of Tustin. The claim says in part:

Conduct of the three police officers of the City of Pasco, both in firing at Mr. Zambrano-Montes as he walked across the street, and thereafter shooting him and killing him once he (crossed) the street, was excessive force in violation of state and federal authority, and was an unjustified use of deadly force against a person whose conduct was in throwing rocks at an earlier time, prior to the shooting. The City of Pasco is liable for the conduct of its police officers in performing their duties..."

Teresa de Jesus Meraz is not the mother of the daughters.