Portland Police Facing Potential Lawsuit from Mother of Man Killed by Cops

Portland Police car

The mother of Santiago A. Cisneros III, shot to death by Portland police on March 4, has filed a $100 million tort claim against the city.

In the claim, Antoinette Cisernos—who was on the phone with her son shortly before Cisneros began firing on officers Michele Boer and Bradley J. Kula—says that Portland police have a history of excessive force. 

Police, however, released tape and grand jury testimony that Cisneros opened fire on Boer first as she pulled onto the roof of a parking garage at 600 NE Grand Ave.

Boer says Cisneros "hunted" her as she tried to take cover. She and Kula fired back, striking Cisneros eight times, including a fatal shot to his jugular. 

Cisneros' father and brother have said that he suffered from post traumatic stress disorder due to his tours in Iraq as a member of the U.S. Army.

Boer says in a audio tape released in April by the department that "all she could think was 'that I was going to die.'"

Here's what WW reported then:

Antoinette Cisneros, who filed the tort claim Sept. 3, did not return calls or emails for comment. Portland police say they don't comment on pending litigation.

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