SANTA CRUZ >> Sean Arlt’s family filed a complaint in U.S. District Court on Friday to break a “code of silence” in the investigation of a deadly shooting by a police officer in the Westside last year, according to court documents.

The claim calls for release of evidence, asserts claims of wrongful death and seeks damages from Santa Cruz Police Department members involved.

The action, which had not reached the defendants by Friday afternoon, also strives to prevent unlawful lethal force by Santa Cruz Police Department, Oakland attorney Michael Haddad said.

Santa Cruz County District Attorney Jeff Rosell in February confirmed that charges will not be filed against the police department in the shooting about 3:30 a.m. Oct. 16 on the 200 block of Chace Street.

Arlt, 32, was killed after he threatened police officers with a metal bow rake, police said. Officers were dispatched after Arlt, who reportedly suffered from a mental illness, was creating a disturbance at the home of an acquaintance, pounding on the door and making threats.

Haddad said the federal courts may be the sole avenue by which the Arlt family can receive evidence in the case. The complaint alleges police officers placed themselves in a position of danger that could have been avoided.

“We haven’t been able to get anything,” Haddad said. “We’re not exactly sure why they haven’t released the autopsy report.”

Police department spokeswoman Joyce Blaschke deferred questions about the case to the city attorney.

City Attorney Tony Condotti said he had not received the complaint Friday afternoon.

“Given the nature and the circumstances, we will be looking to bring on special co-counsel that has special expertise,” Condotti said.

Haddad said his firm also has reviewed footage of the shooting. His office has not seen investigation reports or internal investigation documents. In similar cases in the past, law-enforcement agencies often released documents to families of the deceased “out of respect for the families and the law,” Haddad said.

Over time, more “litigious” agencies abandoned that practice, Haddad said.

The four plaintiffs include Arlt’s relatives and his son. Defendants include the City of Santa Cruz, Chief Kevin Vogel, Sgt. Bill Clayton, and officers Erik Bailey, Denise Cockrum and Adam Baker.

Bailey shot Arlt “at least two times, without warning, in the head,” according to the complaint.

The litigation seeks “compensation for Sean’s family in an amount sufficient to deter misconduct like this in the future,” Haddad said. The amount will be decided by a jury, he said.

Haddad said the case could proceed to trial during the next 18 months.

“Police are being taught that everyone can kill them,” Haddad said. “The problem is that officers are not being trained and retrained in de-escalation techniques.”

He also said police knew Arlt suffered from mental illness.

The morning of Oct. 16, 2016, Arlt returned to longtime family friends’ home on Chace Street.

“Again, Sean was having a mental health crisis,” according to the complaint. “He said he was a ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ among other delusions and he was pounding on his friends’ door to let him in.”

When one of the friends called 911, it was mentioned that Arlt was mentally unstable. At least two patrol cars went to the area near the house and Arlt retrieved the rake from a barrel of tools near the open side door of the residence, according to the complaint.

“He then walked slowly down the driveway with the rake over his head,” according to the complaint. “He was not swinging the rake.”

An officer told Arlt to drop the rake and Tasers were fired before Bailey shot Arlt, according to the complaint.

Haddad said Arlt posed no significant or immediate threat of death or serious harm to the officers.

Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office released footage and information after its involvement in an officer’s deadly shooting of Luke Smith, 15, in Corralitos on Nov. 19, 2016.

“It just shows you, you can release information,” Haddad said. “Santa Cruz Police Department just refuses to.”