Motorist who was shot during altercation with Lawrence police officer files lawsuit alleging excessive force

A motorist who was shot by police after a traffic stop turned violent has filed a lawsuit claiming that police used excessive force against him and that the city failed to properly train its officers.

Akira S. Lewis filed the lawsuit in Douglas County District Court against the City of Lawrence, the Lawrence Police Department, the police chief and the two officers involved in the traffic stop. The lawsuit, filed Friday, alleges that the officer who shot Lewis used excessive force and that both officers involved in the stop battered him and inflicted emotional distress through negligence, among other claims.