PINEVILLE, N.C. — The mother of a man shot and killed by Pineville police has filed a civil rights lawsuit against the city and the officers involved. A year and a half after her son’s death, she says her fight for justice is far from over.
Officers shot Dennis Bodden on May 14, 2024 after responding to a shoplifting call at a Food Lion on Johnston Road.
Bodden had been banned from the store for repeatedly stealing, police said. According to the complaint, the alleged shoplifting incident involved $84 worth of groceries and wine.
Body camera video from the day of the shooting shows a sergeant Adam Roberts responding to the 911 call, following Bodden and later getting into a scuffle.
When backup arrived, investigators said Bodden tried to grab an officer’s weapon during his arrest.
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Police say Roberts though the officer’s life was in danger and fired three shots, killing Bodden.
The Mecklenburg County District Attorney declined to file charges, calling the shooting justified.
However, Bodden’s mother says her son was unarmed and experiencing a mental health crisis when he was killed.
She’s now seeking damages for wrongful death, excessive force, failure to intervene and constitutional violations.
“On the day he was killed, he needed care, patience, and understanding — not a bullet," the family’s attorney, Micheal L. Littlejohn Jr., said in a statement released Wednesday. “The pain his family carries is immeasurable, and no legal process can bring Dennis back. This lawsuit is about honoring his humanity, telling the truth about what happened, and making sure no other family has to endure the same preventable loss.”
Channel 9 reached out to the Pineville Police Department for a response to the lawsuit. A spokesperson said they do not comment on pending litigation.
At the time of the shooting, the department didn’t have a mental health unit, but now, Pineville Police say they have a crisis co-responder unit that launched last July.
VIDEO: Body cameras capture what led up to Pineville officer killing man
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