Carver County Approves $450K Settlement With Family Of Archer Amorosi
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Carver County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved a $450,000 settlement with the parents of Archer Amorosi, a Minnetonka High School student shot and killed by deputies outside his Chanhassen home in 2018.
Donald and Kara Amorosi sued the county in September 2019, alleging that the Carver County Sheriff's Office and county attorney's office violated data practices laws by disclosing private data in Archer Amorosi's death.
In the lawsuit, Donald and Kara Amorosi said the sheriff's office "flooded the media" with private records of their child, and that the data was released on the eve of Archer Amorosi's funeral in a "blatant attempt to exonerate the deputies that killed a child in desperate need of their help and compassion, not their bullets."
As part of the settlement, the county did not acknowledge any wrongdoing, instead saying that the settlement is a "a cost effective resolution which brings closure to this matter and avoids the high cost of continuing litigation and the uncertainty of a lengthy jury trial and appeals process."
The county also maintains that the data released is public information.
Following the approval of the settlement, the Amorosi family released a statement:
"The Amorosi family hopes this settlement sends a message to law enforcement and county attorneys about how not to treat a grieving family in the aftermath of a police shooting. No family should be treated the way Carver County treated the Amorosis following the tragic death of their beloved son. It was devoid of humanity. Families deserve better."
On July 13, 2018, an emergency response call turned into a fatal shooting. According to law enforcement, that's when deputies encountered 16-year-old Archer Amorosi, who did not comply with deputy commands and was holding a hatchet and handgun-style BB gun. He then ran at deputies, who first deployed a Taser and then shot their firearms, killing Amorosi.
His family says he was struggling with mental health issues and was going through a crisis.
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The BCA later released more evidence in the shooting, including a 911 transcript from Amorosi's mother that morning, who said her son was acting "violent and destructive." The evidence also included testimony from Cpl. Jacob Hodge, who was the first to the house that morning.
Charges were never filed against the two deputies who fired their weapons.
The settlement agreement includes $270,000 going to Donald and Kara Amorosi and $180,000 going to attorney's fees.
