The suspected individual, who had previously stolen items from the store two days prior, was described as having a chest tattoo and wearing a white tank top. It was believed that she had headed to a motel, as stated in the lawsuit. At the time of the incident, Thompson, who was also wearing a white tank top but did not have a chest tattoo, was reportedly leaving the motel to have lunch when law enforcement officers arrived on the scene.
Upon getting into her minivan, Thompson found herself blocked in by a police vehicle, with officers surrounding her. The situation escalated with officers shouting commands and ultimately breaking a passenger window, according to the lawsuit. Thompson, feeling frightened, attempted to reverse out of the parking space. As she maneuvered her vehicle over the curb and towards the road, the suit claimed she posed no immediate danger to the officers present.
However, the events took a tragic turn when Arvada Police Officer Anthony Benallo discharged eight shots, resulting in Thompson’s death along with that of her unborn child, the lawsuit detailed. Efforts to obtain comments from both Benallo and the family’s attorney, Siddhartha Rathod, were unsuccessful at the time. District Attorney Alexis D. King made the decision not to pursue charges against the officers involved in the incident in April of 2022, asserting that the use of deadly force was justified under the circumstances.
In 2023, Thompson’s father, Francis Thompson, expressed his dismay over the police department’s handling of the matter, noting that the incident report was not released until more than a year after the tragic event. “This is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to deal with,” he lamented. “I want justice. I don’t think it’s fair that the officers are still working without punishment. I wish I could tell her one more time that I love her, and I’ll never stop fighting for her. I’m not going to let go.”
The case involving Thompson’s untimely demise has sparked debates and discussions surrounding police conduct and accountability within the community. Thompson’s family continues to seek justice and closure in the wake of this devastating loss.
