$12 million settlement reached in 2019 shooting of Amir Worship during police raid
CHICAGO (CBS)-- An apology, more police training, and $12 million - those are some of the terms of a settlement for now-16-year-old Amir Worship.
The attorney for Amir Worship said they reached a $12 million settlement for the boy, who is now permanently disabled after being shot in his knee during the police raid in May of 2019 when he was 12.
But his family says that is not enough. As CBS 2's Sara Machi reported Wednesday, Amir Worship's family and attorney say they want the officer involved - Richton Park's Caleb Blood - fired from his police department.
CBS 2 reported almost four years ago that nearly two dozen officers from Country Club Hills and Richton Park busted into the home of Worship around 5 a.m., while serving a warrant for his mother's then-boyfriend on a drug charge.
That's when one of the SWAT officers accidentally shot Worship, shattering his kneecap.
Worship recounted what happened next in a recorded deposition.
"My first actions were to pat my body down to see if I got shot," he said.
In his deposition, Blood explained the gunfire.
"I may have inadvertently pointed at him, but I was doing everything in my control at the time - adhering to my training to operate in a safe manner," Blood said in the deposition.
Attorney Al Hofeld Jr. says Worship has since undergone five orthopedic knee surgeries and is expected to need knee replacements as he gets older. Hofeld said the settlement also included a public apology from Richton Park and a private apology face-to-face apology from Officer Blood, which took place Saturday.
The public apology was issued in a news release Wednesday.
Blood will also go through more firearms training.
But Hofeld said while Officer Blood was removed from the SWAT team, he and Worship's family are also calling on the Cook County State's Attorney into reopen the investigation into Blood's actions that morning.
"Officer Blood should be fired. He should be fired," Hofeld said. "He should have been fired three years ago."
The charges against Worship's mother's boyfriend were eventually dropped. Attorney Hofeld and Worship's family spoke about the settlement Wednesday.
"I'm very happy that justice was served for Amir and the settlement is for him live and take of himself because he has to live with the knee," Worship's mother said.
Worship's mom talked about how far he's come.
"There's a lot of healing that we have to do There was a lot of sleepless nights," said Crystal Worship. "But things are better now today. Everything is better."
But Hofeld said Worship still faces numerous challenges.
"He can't handle loud noises. They gave him flashbacks," Hofeld said, "and whenever he sees a police officer, he has severe anxiety."
The Worships have since left their Markham home and moved to Texas.
"He is my sweetheart. He gets up in the morning for school and makes sure he kisses me good morning," said Ms. Worship, "and when he gets home from school, he makes sure he checks on mama."
The village's insurer will pay out the $12 million to the Worship family.
