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San Francisco Public Attorneys Hold 'Hands Up, Don't Shoot' Demonstration

Source: Justin Sullivan / Getty

Attorneys representing Kodi Gaines—the six-year-old son of Korryn Gaines, who was fatally shot inside of her Maryland home in front of her child last year—have filed new claims against the Baltimore County Police Department. According to The Baltimore Sun, Kodi’s lawyers say Korryn was not pointing her shotgun at police when she was killed by county tactical officer Royce Ruby Jr. as initially claimed.

“There was this … suggestion that Korryn Gaines was pointing her weapon at police officers at the time she was shot,” attorney Kenneth Ravenell told The Baltimore Sun. “That is just not true.” An amended lawsuit was filed on Tuesday in Baltimore County Circuit Court.

Korryn, who was 23 at the time of her death, was killed during a standoff with police that began when three officers showed up to her Randallstown, Md. home to serve her with a warrant for a traffic violation. The standoff, which lasted for hours, ended when she allegedly threatened to kill police if they did not leave her home.

“Perceiving not only her actions, but the words she used, we discharged one round at her, in turn she fired several rounds back at us,” Police Chief Jim Johnson initially said during a news conference shortly after her death. “We fired again at her, striking and killing her.”

Her son, who was standing at her hip during the altercation, was shot in the face and elbow when shots were fired.

“He’s going to remember that he watched his mother be gunned down in his presence,” Ravenell said. “That’s what this 6-year-old will have to live with for the rest of his life.”

“It is our intention to give County Executive Kevin Kamenetz and the county representatives a chance to rectify this great harm to a 6-year-old,” Ravenell continued.

A civil trial is scheduled to begin January 30 in Baltimore County Circuit Court.