ST. LOUIS — The family of a police officer shot and killed by another officer has filed a wrongful death lawsuit.
Officer Katlyn Alix was shot and killed by Nathaniel Hendren back in January during a "Russian Roulette" style game, according to prosecutors. Alix's mother has filed suit against Hendren, his partner Patrick Riordan who was also in the apartment, the police sergeant on duty, and the city of St. Louis on Wednesday.
Hendren was charged with involuntary manslaughter in her death. He has pleaded not guilty. Hendren and his partner were supposed to be on patrol at the time of the shooting.
Instead, prosecutors say they were all inside Hendren's apartment.
The lawsuit alleges Hendren and Riordan were both drinking while on duty. It also alleges that Hendren and Alix were in a romantic relationship despite Alix being married.
According to the lawsuit, Hendren had a "complicated psychiatric history, including but not limited to anxiety and depression, PTSD, suicidal ideations and gestures" before being hired by the police department.
He also "had a history of acting recklessly with firearms, forcing previous girlfriends to play 'Russian roulette' and engage in other sexual activity that involved firearms" the lawsuit alleged.
The lawsuit said the city acted negligently because they should have known about all of that before hiring him.
The lawsuit said they do not know if the city was aware of his psychiatric and disciplinary history because the city has refused to release full disciplinary or employment files "claiming that such records of an officer accused of criminal conduct are closed records under Missouri's sunshine laws."
The City of St. Louis said they would provide a statement about the lawsuit on Thursday and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department said they do not comment on pending litigation.
Scott Rosenblum, one of the lawyers representing the family in this lawsuit, released the following statement:
"All the lawyers involved — myself, my son Cole Rosenblum, as well as Johnny Simon of the Simon law firm — absolutely believe this is a righteous lawsuit and feel confident that the facts will support our claim."
