LaMorie Estate Sues Howard County Over 12-Bullet Shooting

The estate of Alexander LaMorie filed a federal lawsuit on Thursday against Howard County and the three officers who shot him last March.

Jamie Strawbridge, representing the family through Brown, Goldstein & Levy, LLP, stated that LaMorie should be alive today. He said the 25-year-old man with autism called 911 for help but received four armed police officers instead of modified emergency response services.

The lawsuit names the county and Officers Joel Rodriguez, Cody Bostic, and Joseph Riebau as defendants. It claims violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act and state law. Strawbridge argued the officers had no plan and no specialized mental health resources. He noted they lacked less lethal options such as Tasers, which he said forced a force-first approach.

Police reported receiving a 911 call from a man threatening to harm himself. Officers met LaMorie outside Patuxent Commons in Columbia, a housing project for adults with disabilities. He had moved into the complex three days prior. Authorities said LaMorie carried a knife and walked toward officers while refusing to drop it, resulting in 12 shots fired.

The Maryland Attorney General's Office released body camera video a month after the shooting. That release identified Rodriguez, a two-year veteran, Bostic, a six-year veteran, and Riebau, a 10-year veteran. None of the officers faced criminal charges. Families of those killed in similar incidents have called for accountability, arguing police were unprepared for mental health crises.

The incident led County Executive Calvin Ball and then-Chief Gregory Der to review the county's response protocols. In May, the county established a task force to address these issues. The group includes police representatives, county agencies, and social service professionals. A July meeting reviewed existing training and protocols for handling mental health emergencies.