Family of man killed by officer files lawsuit against Anne Arundel County Police

BALTIMORE -- The family of a 20-year-old man shot and killed in January by an Anne Arundel County Police officer will file a federal civil rights lawsuit Monday against the police department, their lawyers announced.

Dyonta Quarles Jr. was shot at his Crofton home after a struggle with officers responding to a report of family violence, according to the Maryland Attorney General's Office, which conducted an independent investigation of the shooting.     

Quarles, known as DJ, was unarmed at the time. He was shot by Officer First Class J. Ricci, who was transported from the scene in serious condition after the confrontation with Quarles, according to state investigators. 

The man's family is filing a seven-count complaint in the United States District Court of Maryland against the police department for what their attorney Gianna Gizzi calls a wrongful death and violation of federally protected constitutional rights. 

Officers responded about 4 a.m. to a home on Danville Court after Mikel Quarles, Dyonta's mother, called 911 saying she was having a dispute with her adult son who would not allow her to leave a bedroom, state investigators said.

Mikel Quarles allegedly told dispatchers she was unable to get to the front door and asked that officers go inside the home.

After forcing entry into the home, officers found the man and his mother in an upstairs bedroom. The mother was able to leave the room. 

Shortly after, as shown on body camera footage released by the Attorney General's office, Quarles appeared to charge Ricci. 

Police ordered Quarles to the ground, but a struggle ensued when officers tried to handcuff him, the footage shows. A stun was used on Quarles, but it appeared to have no effect.

Officers had Quarles pinned and were attempting to restrain him when Quarles bit down on Ricci's hand.

"He's biting my [expletive] finger off," Ricci said in the footage. "Shoot that [expletive]," Ricci said, before firing his gun at Quarles.

At least three gunshots can be heard in the footage. It is unclear how many times Quarles was struck, but he was pronounced dead on the scene. 

"My son was going through something," Mikel said Monday. "Three officers responded. I was asking for help—and my son was murdered."  

Ricci reportedly suffered traumatic injuries in the struggle and was allegedly punched in the head and face multiple times. The officer lost consciousness and was taken to an area trauma center, the Attorney General's office said.

The Anne Arundel County Police Department said it has no comment on the lawsuit. 

Attorney Gregory Kulis, who works alongside Gizzi, alleges that Anne Arundel County police were not properly trained. The officers should have reduced tension; instead, they created havoc, he said.

"The police arrived with guns drawn," Kulis said. "They were ready to go to battle."