Arambula family sues after cop shoots homeowner, not intruder

Tony Arambula is suing the police department in Phoenix, AZ for nearly $5.8m after an officer accidentally shot him, twice.

Officer Brian Lilly fired a total of four rounds at Arambula while responding to reports of an intruder in the Arambula home. The Phoenix PD released a statement yesterday acknowledging the mishap on September 17th of last year:

“…after entering the residence, one of the officers mistakenly shot the armed home owner.”

The press release goes on to say that the “department has been honest and forthright from the very onset of this incident. No attempt has been made to conceal the truth or the facts surrounding it.”

On the night of the shooting, Arambula and his wife say that they placed a 911 call, reporting that Arambula had cornered the intruder and was holding him at gunpoint. When officers arrived, his wife Lesley described the situation as such. Police entered and announced themselves, and Arambula was immediately shot in the back by Lilly. When he fell, he was shot at three more times and hit once again, in the arm. Lilly admitted to firing without warning.

Arambula says that he did everything he was supposed to in the situation:

“I would have loved if they would have told me to get on the floor and drop to my knees,” Arambula said. “To not have given me any opportunity to not get shot, it’s confusing. I pray that this never happens to another family.”