Baton Rouge City Council Agrees On $4.5 Million Lawsuit To Be Paid To Alton Sterling Family

The family of Alton Sterling has reached a $4.5 million-dollar settlement after 5 years of his untimely death.
Alton Sterling was shot by two Baton Rouge police officers at close range. The officers were attempting to arrest Sterling but alleged he was reaching for a handgun in his pants pocket before one of the officers shot him. He was confronted outside of a convenience store in Baton Rouge for selling CD’s.
The East Baton Rouge Metro Counsel voted 7-4 in favor of offering the settlement to the family of Sterling after they filled a wrongful death lawsuit against the Baton Rouge Police Department 4 years ago.
Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome tweeted Wednesday, “I am pleased our metro counsel was able to find a consensus and approved an offer of settlement in the Alton Sterling civil case. After nearly five years, the people of Baton Rouge are finally one step closer to getting much needed closure in this traumatic episode in our history.”
The news presents itself after the counsel previously rejected the initial proposed $5 million dollar settlement for the family last November. The counsel was short one vote of the seven they needed to get the approval.
“Now we must continue the work of building a more fair and equitable community, where every citizen is treated justly, no matter their race or ethnicity,” added Broome.
The officer who shot Sterling, Blane Salamoni, had been fired from the department two years after Sterling death.
His trail is set to begin March 1st.
The death of Alton Sterling gave rise to many protests across the nation over police brutality, nearly four years before Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and several other people of color who were also killed by police officers.