Sumter Family Speaks Out After Filing Suit Against Police Department

SUMTER, SC (WOLO)- A Sumter family is asking for answers after their loved one was fatally shot 19 times by police in December.

A lawsuit was filed by 35-year-old Waltki Williams family accusing the city of Sumter and its police department of wrongful death after they say he was shot and killed by officers. Sumter police received the lawsuit Wednesday afternoon.

“Someone needs to give me peace of mind,” Waltki’s father, Walter Williams said fighting back tears. “They shot and killed my son, I didn’t have but one.”.

“We need justice and something needs to be done,” Waltki’s cousin, Kimberly Boyd said.

The shooting happened back in December when police were chasing Waltki after getting reports that he was threatening his ex-girlfriend outside of the Sumter mall.

The chase ended when Waltki crashed into two cars a few blocks down. Police say when he got out on foot their was a brief struggle and then an exchange of gunfire.

However Walki’s family say he was unarmed, and now they have questions they want answered.

“Why would you harm our cousin, like that,” Boyd said. “They shot him down like he was an animal in the street.”

In a lawsuit Waltki’s sister Tomekia filed states that Sumter police fired at him 24 times. 19 of those hitting him, and 17 of those fatal shots were to his back.

“I feel like he shouldn’t have been shot like that,” Tomekia said. “They could’ve tasered him and took him to jail, they didn’t have to shoot and kill him.”

“There is more than one way to subdue a suspect, you can tackle him you can taser him, but you don’t kill people like that,” Walter said.

Sumter Police tell ABC Columbia News they could not comment on the on-going investigation. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is handling the case.