The complaint contends that the Miami Twp. police officers arrived on the scene knowing Stephenson’s family members had safely exited the home. According to the complaint, instead of containing the scene and waiting for crisis negotiators or mental health professionals, officers “rushed confrontation.”
“Without posing as a threat to anyone, officers fired bean bag rounds and Tasers at Jayden,” the complaint alleges. “In response to being tased and shot with bean bag rounds, Jayden rose to his feet.”
Bodycam footage shows that when Stephenson then ran toward officers with a boxcutter still in hand, an officer opened fire, striking Stephenson multiple times. He died on scene despite efforts to resuscitate him, according to the complaint.
“At all times relevant, Defendants failed to use accepted crisis intervention and de-escalation tactics, in violation of both constitutional standards and nationally accepted police practices,” the complaint said. “The Defendants’ actions that ultimately led to the killing of Jayden Stephenson were not consistent with the actions of a reasonable officer on the scene.”
The complaint also cited the township’s “longstanding failure to properly train, supervise, and discipline its officers in crisis intervention, de-escalation, and use of force.”
It said the defendants “intended such conduct to inflict severe emotional distress upon Jayden and his heirs and knew that his conduct would cause Jayden and his family severe and serious emotional distress, which was of a nature that no reasonable person could be expected to endure.”
The complaint seeks compensatory and punitive damages for wrongful death, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
It also seeks the court to grant “any award of such other and further relief as the Court may deem just and proper” and a trial by jury on all claim for relief.
This news outlet reached out to Miami Twp. and its police department Friday and was told they are unable to comment about ongoing litigation.
Stephenson’s estate is represented by attorneys Michael Wright, Robert Gresham and Anthony Pierson. The attorneys issued a statement Friday, saying that Stephenson’s death “represents a heartbreaking and unnecessary escalation by officers who were trained and obligated to preserve life — not take it.“
“He was alone in his home, surrounded by police, and no one was in danger,” the attorneys said in the statement. “Yet rather than de-escalate the situation or call mental health professionals, officers with the Miami Twp. Police Department forced confrontation and used lethal force where compassion and patience were required.”
The attorneys said the police department’s own policies require officers to use de-escalation whenever possible and limit deadly force to a last resort.
“Those policies were ignored at every turn,” the attorneys said. “Jayden was not a threat to anyone. He was a young man in crisis who needed help — and what he received instead was a tactical assault in his own home."
They said Stephenson’s family has suffered “a devastating loss — one that should never have happened.
“This case is about more than one young man’s life,” the attorney’s said in the statement. “It’s about how law enforcement responds to our most vulnerable citizens. The public deserves transparency, accountability, and assurance that these same mistakes will not be repeated.”
About the Author
