The City of Independence, its police department, and a major ambulance provider in the metro face a lawsuit. They’re accused of allowing a teenager, hit by a suspect fleeing police, to bleed to death. Maybe most disturbing is the comment an officer made on tape. “They’re like roaches, man,” said the unidentified Independence police officer. “They don’t die.”

That comment is at the heart of a new lawsuit filed Monday. Last November, during a police chase, Wilfredo Pujols ran over Christopher Cooper, 17, who was crossing Noland Road on a bicycle. Pujuols pled guilty for his role in criminal court. But Cooper’s family believes “a cowboy atmosphere” within the police department makes them just as liable.

It also claims police and paramedics assumed Cooper was dead at the scene and delayed giving him care. “He bled to death because he was not assessed and they did not get the bleeding under control,” Pickett said.

The father of Christopher Cooper is a regular blogger on Democratic Underground. He is attempting to bring his son’s story to the national media’s attention. Mr. Cooper is asking everyone to spread the story of his son’s tragic death. Hopefully, this post will help in some small way. My sincerest condolences go out to him and his family.

Here is the link to the local news station report.