A Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officer who died in May after a training incident had been investigating an officer who might have been present for alleged sexual assault, according to an attorney representing his mother.
Officer Houston Tipping was serving as a bike instructor at the LAPD’s Elysian Park Academy in May when he fell and injured his spinal cord in a training scenario that featured grappling, dying afterward, department Chief Michel Moore announced days later. Tipping had apparently been investigating an alleged sexual assault perpetrated by LAPD officers, one of whom might have been present at the training, lawyer Bradley Gage revealed at a press conference Tuesday.
On Tipping’s mother’s behalf, Gage has filed damages claims including wrongful death, assault and battery, civil rights violations, whistleblower retaliation and concealment, spoliation and destruction of evidence.
“Based upon information and belief, officers who were aware of the report of sexual assault went to the training where Officer Tipping was killed and they used that training as a cover to kill Officer Tipping in retaliation for his investigation and whistleblowing activity,” Gage’s Monday letter to the city clerk said. “Based upon information and belief, the actions of the LAPD officers was so distressing to Officer Tipping that he applied to other police agencies before he was killed. Based upon information and belief, this investigation was reported up the chain of command which tried to hide
and conceal the evidence.” (RELATED: New Democrat-Backed Public Safety Tips Urge NYC Business Owners Not To Call Police)
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Gage told the Daily Caller News Foundation that the victim of the alleged sexual assault contacted him and claims four police officers raped her.
“She claims she knew the names of three of the officers because she saw their name tags. One of the people she named as an alleged attacker, appears consistent with reports of an officer at the training,” Gage said. “We have asked for information to confirm the names of all of the officers at the training. The LAPD has not provided that information to us.”
The attorney added in the press conference that Tipping was supposed to be engaged in bicycle training that does not involve “the so-called grappling exercise” reported by the LAPD. Gage said the training also lacked a called-for trained supervisor and had apparently been missing matting and protective equipment meant to keep officers safe.
The LAPD did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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