An unarmed man, Jason Harley Kloepfer, has won a $10 million settlement in a federal lawsuit after being shot in the chest by Cherokee Indian police during a SWAT operation. The incident, which occurred on December 12, 2022, followed a disputed 911 call alleging that Kloepfer had made threats; however, affidavits revealed significant discrepancies in the claims that led to the police response.
Kloepfer was shot when he exited his home with his hands raised, and the absence of body camera footage from the officers involved raised questions about the validity of the charges initially filed against him. His legal team argues that he would have faced wrongful prosecution had it not been for video evidence from inside his home. The settlement includes contributions from both Cherokee County and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and has drawn attention to police accountability within tribal jurisdictions.
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