SCHERTZ – Nearly two years after Bexar County sheriff’s deputies shot and killed 6-year-old Kameron Prescott while pursuing a suspect in Schertz, the boy’s father says the pain is still raw.
"It was like someone ripping my life away from me (because) my son was my life,” Christopher Prescott said during a press conference Monday morning.
Prescott and his ex-wife Rubi filed a federal lawsuit Monday against Bexar County, Sheriff Javier Salazar, and four sheriff’s deputies, hoping for answers about why deputies fired 18 to 20 rounds into Prescott’s mobile home on Dec. 21, 2017.
The suit claims that Kameron’s civil rights were violated and that unlawful police conduct caused his wrongful death.
“I want to know why,” he said.
Parents of Kameron Prescott announce lawsuit against BCSO
The shooting was the culmination of a nearly two-hour pursuit of Amanda Jones, who was wanted on credit card fraud charges. A bounty hunter located Jones and called the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office to report her location. When deputies arrived, Jones ran from them.
Deputies pursued her to the Pecan Grove Mobile Home Park on FM 78 where she ran inside Prescott’s home looking for a place to hide. He was there with his 14-year-old niece and Kameron, who was in his room playing.
Prescott told his attorneys that he told Jones to get out of his house.
The lawsuit states that Jones held up her hands and responded by saying, “You have kids and I do not want trouble” before turning around and walking out the front door.
Jones was then shot by deputies, who had surrounded the home’s porch. Some of the rounds went through the side of the mobile home. Kameron was shot twice and he died on the way to the hospital.
His father didn’t get to help his son or say goodbye, according to Prescott’s attorney.
Child killed in deputy-involved shooting described as loving, sweet boy
“He heard his son saying ‘Ouch daddy. Ouch, it hurts,’” attorney Tom Crosley said, but Prescott couldn’t run to him because deputies had placed Prescott and his niece in handcuffs right after the shooting.
“They treated him as a suspect,” Crosley said.
Prescott said he wasn’t able to see his son until he was allowed to go to the hospital and by that time, it was too late.
The lawsuit names Bexar County, Salazar, and deputies Johnny Aguillon, George Herrera, Jesse Arias and Johny Longoria.
It was filed under a federal statute that protects civilians against unlawful police conduct, according to Crosley.
“We want to know what Bexar County sheriffs knew that day and when they knew it,” Crosley said.
Shortly after the shooting, Sheriff Salazar said the deputies saw something in Jones’ hand that they thought was a weapon.
Salazar said at the time that proper procedures were followed during the shooting and the deputies complied with the protocol and called Kameron’s death “a tragic accident.”
Crosley said he’s seen bodycam footage and said nothing he viewed would justify the deputies’ decision to shoot.
Jones was wearing “a sports bra and shorts” and “did not pose a clear and present threat,” according to Crosley.
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The lawsuit states that deputies “fired four rounds towards Jones and the occupied residence. Jones then slumped and fell forward.” After the initial gunfire, several seconds elapsed before deputies fired “numerous more rounds,” according to the lawsuit.
They’re hoping to question the deputies under oath, to determine whether the deputies had adequate training and, if so, whether they followed the training.
Crosley said two of the deputies had .40-caliber handguns, and two were armed with AR-15 rifles.
“There needs to be awareness about when an officer fires his weapon what’s going to happen to the rounds,” Crosley said.
The lawsuit does not seek a specific dollar amount.
“If it goes in front of a jury, we will ask the jury to do what is right,” Crosley said, adding that it’s impossible to put a dollar amount on the life of a child.
Kameron’s mother Rubi is also listed as a plaintiff on the lawsuit but has separate attorneys out of Houston.
Crosley said the lawsuit would probably take several years.
The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office released a comment Sunday night after receiving news of the lawsuit.
“While we cannot comment specifically on this case due to ongoing litigation, training hours have increased dramatically since December 2017,” according to the statement.
On Monday, Kameron’s father told reporters that it’s impossible to describe what he’s gone through over the past two years.
“It’s a mixture of all emotions,” Prescott said. “From anger to sadness to loss to happiness, because I remember the good times.”
Some of those good times included watching Kameron play soccer.
“He loved playing soccer, even though he wasn’t very good at it,” Prescott said with a smile.
Prescott described Kameron as a happy and friendly child.
“He would actually go to people that he didn’t know who were sad and try to cheer them up,” Prescott said.
“He loved playing sports. He loved being around family. He loved cooking,” Prescott said. “he was a very good boy.”
Read the full lawsuit:
Prescott vs BCSO Lawsuit by David Ibanez on Scribd