Lawsuit claiming Indy had role in Chris Beaty's death has been dismissed

INDIANAPOLIS — The lawsuit against the city of Indianapolis stemming from the death of a man shot and killed during protests in downtown Indianapolis in May 2020 has been dismissed.

Chris Beaty was shot and killed in downtown Indianapolis in May 2020 during protests. In May 2022, his mother filed a wrongful death lawsuit claiming the city and officials violated Beaty's 14th amendment rights by failing to protect him and the public by failing to provide adequate training to police officers.

On Tuesday, a federal judge dismissed that lawsuit.

Judge Tanya Walton Pratt’s dismissal stated the claims of Cooper and her attorneys did not rise to the level of showing that the city created or enhanced the danger Beaty would have faced even if there was no police presence at all.

Pratt stated her feelings of empathy for Beaty's mother, Debra Cooper, but stated “the constitution does not guarantee Beaty’s safety from criminals.”

Judge Pratt says the lawsuit is unable to connect the protests in downtown Indy to the crime that was committed against Beaty.

“Apart from the crime occurring in the same region of the City and around the time the protests ended, there is no factual allegation that supports a finding that the protests and Beaty’s murder are connected—let alone that the crime was somehow caused by the Defendants,” Pratt said.

The final ruling reads:

“The Complaint is devoid of facts that any Defendant acted to create or enhance a danger Beaty otherwise would not have faced. Unfortunately, while acting as a ‘good Samaritan,’ the danger for Beaty was created by Beaty and not by the Defendants. Accordingly, the Court concludes that the Estate has not alleged sufficient facts to support a finding that the Defendants, through any acts or omissions, created or increased the danger to Beaty.”

Three people have been charged in connection with Beaty’s death.