Last Updated on March 31, 2021, 9:26 PM | Published: March 31, 2021
OKLAHOMA CITY (Free Press) — A protester who participated in a May 31, 2020 protest in Oklahoma City filed a lawsuit against the City of Oklahoma City Wednesday.
She is claiming injuries from a projectile fired by Oklahoma City Police (OKCPD) Officers that night permanently injuring her right arm.
Kiandra McCray filed the $75,000 lawsuit for injuries McCray claims were caused by police firing what they call “less-than-lethal” and “non-lethal” projectiles at her when the crowd McCray was in protested the death of George Floyd and others across the country at the hands of police.
The part of the protest where McCray claims to have been injured was at a spot in front of the OKCPD Headquarters at the intersection of N. Shartel and N.W. 1st Street.
She also claims that she still does not have full use of her right arm from the injury and that she has sustained “severe physical and emotional injury.”
McCray is being represented by Oklahoma City attorney Rand C. Eddy.
Wrong place, wrong time
“Kiandra got caught in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Eddy told Free Press in a phone call. “She was just peacefully protesting and nothing else.”
“They [police] put a quarantine down unexpectedly and there was a lot of confusion,” Eddy continued. “But, a police officer shot her in the arm with a rubber bullet.”
“Now there is a hole in her arm forever,” said Eddy. “I’ve seen her scar. It’s horrific.”
“Severely injured”
“Plaintiff was severely injured by 1 projectile wound by an unknown OKCPD Officer,” the court document says.
The lawsuit also argues that the unidentified officer “did negligently shoot Ms. McCray” and that the officer used “force arbitrarily, unreasonably, and excessively, in violation of the policies laid forth in the OKCPD policy manual and the law under the circumstances.
“OKCPD officer’s action to negligently shoot Ms. McCray caused great and severe physical and emotional injury,” the lawsuit reads.
Medical costs to McCray were “not less than $4,095.54 which will continue to increase as her injuries are still requiring further treatment by multiple doctors,” the suit reads.
Damages
McCray is demanding “actual, compensatory damages, physical and emotional damages, and punitive damages, in excess of $75,000.00, together with any further legal and/or equitable relief the Court deems appropriate under the law.”
Language in the suit says that McCray “continues to experience physical pain and has not regained the full use of her right arm as a result of her injury.”
Tort claim ignored
The suit says that McCray originally filed a tort claim with the City of Oklahoma City on November 12, 2020, but received no response from the City for 90 days. “Therefore, it is deemed denied.” The lawsuit is now filed.
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Founder, publisher, and editor of Oklahoma City Free Press. Brett continues to contribute reports and photography to this site as he runs the business.
