A San Diego Unified School District police officer who was injured in an on-campus brawl last month has filed a personal injury lawsuit naming the three juveniles accused of attacking him.
Bashir Abdi of El Cerrito was working as a school police officer on the Lincoln High School campus Feb. 26 when a group of students began “play fighting” during the lunch period. When Abdi followed one of the students into the parking garage, an altercation occurred.
Abdi was seriously injured and five students were sent to the hospital for exposure to pepper spray or a Taser.
What happened inside the school’s parking garage is in dispute and under investigation by both SDUSD and the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office.
In the lawsuit filed March 8, Abdi alleges general negligence. NBC 7 San Diego is not identifying the teens involved as they are minors and are not being charged as adults.
Abdi claims he has suffered loss of wages and earning capacity and has incurred hospital and medical expenses. There is no specific amount given for damages.
“Plaintiff anticipates that the San Diego Unified School District will intervene and file a lien to recover worker’s compensation benefits paid to the plaintiff,” the claim states. “Any such lien would be unenforceable due to the District’s negligent failure to adequately staff security and police officers at Lincoln High School despite past violence and likelihood of harm to police officers like plaintiff.”
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Rev. Shane Harris, a local civil rights activist with the National Action Network, said he doesn't believe Abdi wants to go after the students but is using the lawsuit as a way to get compensated by district.
The February incident is not the first time Abdi has used a Taser on a student.
A nearly 30-page report from October 2014 documents another incident in which Abdi used a Taser on a teenager whom he recognized as a student at the school.
NBC 7 has requested school surveillance video of the Feb. 26 altercation. A judge has issued a protective order on the video.
SDUSD cannot release the video to the public because of the ongoing investigation, according to the DA’s Office.
Two of the juveniles face criminal charges ranging from assault on a police officer to theft and vandalism.
Prosecutor would not reveal charges filed against a third juvenile.
The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office said based on the evidence and the severity of the injuries to the police officer, the charges against the minors are appropriate.
