Files v. King et al.

On May 9, 2016, Delano Files, a 28-year-old African American man, was shot and killed by Detroit Police Officer Samuel King. Police had responded to a domestic disturbance call and encountered Files holding a knife. Files allegedly advanced toward officers, and King fired, killing him. On September 1, 2017, Tawanna Files, his mother and the personal representative of his estate, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against Officer King and the City of Detroit. The suit alleged excessive force, wrongful death, and violations of Files's constitutional rights, asserting that he was experiencing a mental health crisis and that the deadly force used was unreasonable. In 2019, the City of Detroit agreed to settle the litigation for $1.25 million. No criminal charges were filed against the officer.

The civil case was settled in 2019; the City of Detroit agreed to pay $1.25 million to the estate of Delano Files. No criminal liability was imposed on the officer.

Whether Officer King's use of deadly force against a knife-wielding individual in a mental health crisis was objectively reasonable, and whether the City of Detroit failed to provide adequate de-escalation and crisis intervention training.

The case intensified public scrutiny of how Detroit police interact with individuals experiencing mental health crises. It fueled advocacy for enhanced crisis intervention training and contributed to broader conversations about police use of force and accountability in the United States.