A 4-year-old girl who was accidentally shot in the thigh by a Columbus police officer last yearwill receive $780,000 to settle a lawsuit that her parents filed against the city.

The Columbus City Council unanimously approved the payment Monday, its first meeting sinceadjourning for the six-week summer break. The attorneys representing the girl were seeking $1.6million.

Ava Ellis was shot in her right leg in June 2015 by police Officer Jonathan Thomaswhile Thomas was trying to shoot the family's dog, according to city documentsand City Attorney Richard C. Pfeiffer Jr.

Ava spent nine days in the hospital andaccrued more than $250,000 in medical bills as a result of the wound, Pfeiffersaid.

Thomas had responded to Chandler Drive in Whitehall that afternoon to talk with a person who hadbeen injured during a hit-and-run incident that had occurred in Columbus. Thomas was walking awayfrom a home and back to his patrol car when someone from the nearby Ellis home called to him thatAndrea Ellis, the girl's mother, had cut herself.

'As the door was open there were children (in the house) and as Thomas went to the house, a dogapproached him and the dog ran away,' Pfeiffer said. 'A second dog came and the officer feltthreatened by the dog and he took out his revolver and shot at the dog.'

Instead, Thomas errantly shot the girl.

The dog, described as a 40-pound bulldog mix, wasn't hurt and no one else was injured.

The city settled the lawsuit because Pfeiffer said that he feared a jury could award the familysignificantly more money.

The girl suffered scarring and will require future surgeries, Pfeiffer said.

Police supervisors found that Thomas violated procedures about discharging his firearm in thehome, and recommended a three-day suspension and retraining.

Thomas, 35, has been with the Police Division six years and continues to work. He is appealingthat discipline through arbitration.

Jason Pappas, a police officer and president of the Fraternal Order of Police Capital City LodgeNo. 9, said Thomas did nothing wrong.

'This is an unfortunate incident, but the officer was within his right to use force to subduethat dog,' Pappas said. 'The dog was presenting a threat to the officer and he was within his rightto discharge his firearm.'

Pappas said officers routinely encounter aggressive dogs and must protect themselves and othersif the animals cannot be controlled. He said in Thomas' case, the dog gave the officer nochoice.

Council members did not discuss the settlement before approving the matter. Councilman MitchBrown, chairman of the city's public-safety committee, deferred all questions to Pfeiffer.

Brown, who also served as the city's safety director until fall 2014, was not with the city atthe time of the incident.

lsullivan@dispatch.com

@DispatchSully

A 4-year-old girl who was accidentally shot in the thigh by a Columbus police officer last yearwill receive $780,000 to settle a lawsuit that her parents filed against the city.

The Columbus City Council unanimously approved the payment Monday, its first meeting sinceadjourning for the six-week summer break. The attorneys representing the girl were seeking $1.6million.

Ava Ellis was shot in her right leg in June 2015 by police Officer Jonathan Thomaswhile Thomas was trying to shoot the family's dog, according to city documentsand City Attorney Richard C. Pfeiffer Jr.

Ava spent nine days in the hospital andaccrued more than $250,000 in medical bills as a result of the wound, Pfeiffersaid.

Thomas had responded to Chandler Drive in Whitehall that afternoon to talk with a person who hadbeen injured during a hit-and-run incident that had occurred in Columbus. Thomas was walking awayfrom a home and back to his patrol car when someone from the nearby Ellis home called to him thatAndrea Ellis, the girl's mother, had cut herself.

'As the door was open there were children (in the house) and as Thomas went to the house, a dogapproached him and the dog ran away,' Pfeiffer said. 'A second dog came and the officer feltthreatened by the dog and he took out his revolver and shot at the dog.'

Instead, Thomas errantly shot the girl.

The dog, described as a 40-pound bulldog mix, wasn't hurt and no one else was injured.

The city settled the lawsuit because Pfeiffer said that he feared a jury could award the familysignificantly more money.

The girl suffered scarring and will require future surgeries, Pfeiffer said.

Police supervisors found that Thomas violated procedures about discharging his firearm in thehome, and recommended a three-day suspension and retraining.

Thomas, 35, has been with the Police Division six years and continues to work. He is appealingthat discipline through arbitration.

Jason Pappas, a police officer and president of the Fraternal Order of Police Capital City LodgeNo. 9, said Thomas did nothing wrong.

'This is an unfortunate incident, but the officer was within his right to use force to subduethat dog,' Pappas said. 'The dog was presenting a threat to the officer and he was within his rightto discharge his firearm.'

Pappas said officers routinely encounter aggressive dogs and must protect themselves and othersif the animals cannot be controlled. He said in Thomas' case, the dog gave the officer nochoice.

Council members did not discuss the settlement before approving the matter. Councilman MitchBrown, chairman of the city's public-safety committee, deferred all questions to Pfeiffer.

Brown, who also served as the city's safety director until fall 2014, was not with the city atthe time of the incident.

lsullivan@dispatch.com

@DispatchSully