Family of Hasani Best sues Asbury Park Police for $25M

The family of Hasani Best, a Black man who was killed by police in New Jersey, has sued the city for $25M.

39-year-old Hasani Best was
fatally shot by an Asbury Park Police officer after a neighbor called 911 over a domestic violence incident at his home.

Family of Hasani Best Sues city of Asbury Park and its police

His family has filed preliminary paperwork for a $25 million lawsuit against the city they claim is responsible for his death.

The city of Asbury Park was served a notice of tort claim on Nov. 12, setting the framework that a lawsuit is on the horizon, APP.com reports.

“They (police) didn’t have to take his life,” said Carol Sanders, mother of Hasani Best. “They was laughing and joking with him one minute and then they shot him through the door, through his chest and in his stomach, and killed him.”

Hasani Best (Photo: NJ.com)

Hasani Best was fatally shot by police

Best was shot after he allegedly refused to relinquish a knife he was holding, according to authorities.

The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office released body camera videos capturing the events that led to the fatal shooting.

The footage came after the family of Best demanded the attorney general to release body camera video and audio, NJ.com reported.

“It was not justified, at all. It wasn’t justified,” Sanders said. “No, he didn’t deserve that.”

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According to authorities, multiple Asbury Park officers arrived on Aug. 21 to a two-family residence in the 900 block of 4th Avenue due to “a loud domestic dispute.”

Upon arrival, authorities said, the woman was outside while Best barricaded himself in the upstairs apartment. Officers tried to negotiate with Best through the door for nearly an hour, but Best reportedly opened the door at various times brandishing a knife, authorities said.

When authorities said Best wouldn’t drop the knife, they attempted to use a Taser, but it was ineffective. At around 10:10 p.m., an officer fatally shot Best, according to documents obtained by NJ Advance Media.

Best died at Jersey Shore University Hospital about 20 minutes later.

“They need to tell us why they decided to negotiate with him for 60 minutes and then decided to kill him,” Kay White, mother of Hasani Best’s son, told NJ.com.

Officer identified

The Attorney General’s Office identified the police officer who shot Best as Asbury Park police Sgt. Sean DeShader, a veteran officer who was named the city’s Police Officer of the Year in 2016.

DeShader is currently on administrative duty, a police department spokesman said in an email to the Houston Chronicle.

The state attorney general’s office is investigating the shooting and will present the video and other evidence to a grand jury when the investigation is complete.

The grand jury will ultimately decide whether criminal charges should be filed against any of the officers.