Family Sues Sheriff Over Fatal Shooting of Teen

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The parents of a Tennessee teen fatally shot by a sheriff’s deputy have filed a wrongful death lawsuit.

Jimmie and Brandie Zappier filed the suit filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Knoxville against the Hamblen County Sheriff’s Office in the death of their 19-year-old son, Anthony Zappier, news outlets reported.

The lawsuit says Hamblen County Sheriff’s Deputy Dewey Edward Horner Jr., shot the unarmed man while he was in the driver’s side of a police cruiser.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation report said Zappier dragged the deputy in the cruiser, but the lawsuit denies that. The bureau labeled the shooting as justified, records show.

Zappier’s parents say the deputy used excessive force and was poorly trained to respond to the situation. The couple have asked for $25 million in damages.

Hamblen County Mayor Bill Brittain declined to comment on the lawsuit.