NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A family has filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit against Metro Nashville and six police officers after calling 911 for their son having a mental episode and police killed him.
His mother, Elizabeth Trujillo, is suing Officer Cole Ranseen — whose body camera footage was released from police after the shooting — and five other officers labeled as John Doe.
The death happened last year, when officers were dispatched to Split Oak Trail for a domestic disturbance around 8 p.m. MNPD officers said during the call that Joshua Kersey was drunk, took a set of car keys and left the home. This later unraveled into Kersey hiding in a bedroom with his roommate as a hostage.
The 911 call released to the public said Kersey had no weapons and severe mental issues. Trujillo talked to the 911 dispatcher to explain the situation.
You can hear the call below.
After they arrived on the scene, police proceeded to talk to Kersey for 40 minutes, even calling him. The phone later slid out from under the door. Kersey made remarks to officers saying he didn't want to talk to "a pig."
"If you open the door, I will kill him," Kersey said during a verbal exchange with officers. Kersey was referring to the roommate inside the room with him.
The lawsuit said that Ranseen could see that Kersey wasn't holding his roommate hostage by using a knife.
Body camera video showed police entered the room with their weapons drawn and asked to see Kersey's hands. Kersey and the person described as the hostage can be seen falling to the floor as officers entered.
In the lawsuit, the family explained they didn't believe Metro police were appropriately trained and supervised to handle mental health calls, like Kersey's.
You can watch the body camera footage in the player below. Viewer discretion is advised.
"Officer Cole Ranseen immediately started shooting Kersey without provocation," the lawsuit states. "Officer Ranseen had no justifiable reason to start shooting Kersey who was in a compliant position laying on the floor with his hand exposed with no object in his hands that could have been mistaken for a knife, therefore, posing no threat to the defendants or anyone else at the scene."
In response to Kersey's death, the family is seeking compensatory damages and a jury trial.
You can watch the full MNPD release on the shooting on YouTube.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at emily.west@newschannel5.com.
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
