Police officer facing wrongful death lawsuit was given 'valor' awards for fatal shooting

Police officer facing wrongful death lawsuit was given 'valor' awards for fatal shooting

The family of Brandon Lynch, 27, is suing the officer, Conner Thompson, and the city of Olathe, Kansas, claiming excessive force and improper training, which the city denies



A former Kansas police officer whom prosecutors declined to charge in the 2022 shooting death of a man with a known history of mental health crises was twice presented top “valor” awards by law enforcement groups for his actions during the fatal encounter.


The ceremonies stand in sharp contrast to the federal wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of Brandon Lynch, 27, a year ago.


One of the commendations, a “Gold Award for Uncommon Valor” presented by the Kansas Association of Chiefs of Police on May 1, 2024, was handed out two days before the family filed its suit against the officer, Conner Thompson, and the city of Olathe.


In the complaint filed in the District of Kansas, Lynch’s family claims Thompson “unnecessarily escalated the situation” and applied an “unreasonable use of excessive force” that failed to consider proper crisis intervention training.


Details of the awards — the first of which was given to Thompson by the Kansas City Metropolitan Area Chiefs and Sheriffs Association in November 2023 — have not been previously reported. A detailed review of the awards shows that Thompson and his then-partner were honored for what police say occurred on the night Lynch was fatally shot, New Year’s Eve in 2022.


Conner Thompson is recognized at the Kansas Association of Chiefs of Police Annual Valor Awards ceremony on May 1, 2024.

Conner Thompson is recognized at the Kansas Association of Chiefs of Police annual Valor Awards on May 1, 2024.Olathe Police Department

Specifically, the Metropolitan Area Chiefs and Sheriffs Association said the officers “responded to a disturbance” at a home where a woman called to say her brother had assaulted her. Once at the home, the officers told the woman to wait outside while they entered and were confronted by the man, who was armed with a knife and Taser, the group’s narrative of events said.


When the man “continued to be aggressive” and did not obey orders, Thompson’s partner attempted to use his department-issued Taser on him, but it was “ineffective,” the narrative said

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

US military officially reacts to Iranian missile attack

Image
  US military officially reacts to Iranian missile attack In the first official U.S. military confirmation of the Iranian attack targeting Al-Udeid Airbase in Qatar, U.S. Central Command said the missile barrage was "defeated by U.S. and Qatari Patriot batteries." CENTCOM also confirmed that there were no casualties to American or Qatari personnel. "We will continue to aggressively defend our service members and partners in the region. Our adversaries should have no doubt about our resolve or our capabilities," CENTCOM Commander Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla said in a statement. Traces are seen in the sky after Iran's armed forces say they targeted The Al-Udeid base in a missile attack, as seen from Doha, Qatar, June 23, 2025.
Read more

Ohio deputy fatally struck by man whose son had been shot by police: Authorities The man's 18-year-old son was fatally shot by police the day before. ByVictoria Arancio and Jack Moore May 4, 2025, 7:31 AM 2:10 Deputy killed in car attack in Ohio: AuthoritiesPolice are calling it a "calculated" attack. The suspect is the father of a teenager who was shot and killed by an offi...Show more Authorities in Ohio said a man "purposely" struck and killed a sheriff's deputy the day after his teen son was fatally shot by police. Rodney Hinton Jr. has been charged with aggravated murder in the death of the sheriff's deputy, who was struck Friday while directing traffic near the University of Cincinnati, according to authorities. Cincinnati police said Hinton is the father of 18-year-old Ryan Hinton, who was shot and killed by an officer the day before. Rodney Hinton Jr., seen here in court, has been charged with aggravated murder in the death of a sheriff's deputy. WCPO At a court appearance on Saturday, Hamilton County sheriff's deputies packed the courtroom in support of the fallen deputy, according to ABC Cincinnati affiliate WCPO. Prosecuting attorney Ryan Nelson said that Hinton Jr.'s movements in his car on Friday were "calculated and premeditated." He added, "He lined up his car, deliberately accelerated his car and purposely caused the death of an on-duty deputy sheriff." The attorney representing Hinton Jr. said that he faces a "very serious, very terrible charge" but noted that he has no felonies in his record. "I understand that this is an emotionally charged situation," the attorney said, mentioning the death of Hinton Jr.'s son. He added, "I understand that there is a lot of sadness and a lot of anger in this room right now and in the community at large." The judge ordered Hinton Jr. held without bond in the Clermont County jail until his next hearing on May 6. In a statement Saturday, attorneys representing the Hinton family said they were hired to investigate the death of Ryan Hinton and that Rodney Hinton, along with other family members, met with Cincinnati police on Friday to view body camera footage of his shooting death. The deputy was struck Friday while directing traffic near the University of Cincinnati, according to authorities. WCPO "Ryan Hinton's family, including Ryan's father, was present at the meeting and they were understandably distraught as they watched the bodycam video," the statement said. "After the meeting with the police department, Ryan Hinton's father left in his own vehicle and that was the last we heard from him until learning about the tragic incident involving a law enforcement officer who was working a traffic detail near the University of Cincinnati." The attorneys are Michael Wright, Shean Williams and Robert Gresham of The Cochran Firm, as well as Anthony Pierson of Pierson and Pierson, LLC, according to WCPO. The statement went on to say: "This is an unimaginable tragedy for this community. Ryan Hinton's family is heartbroken by this tragic turn of events and we are all devastated for the family of the officer who was killed." The deputy has not yet been publicly identified under an Ohio law that protects the privacy of victims and their families. However, police said the deputy had recently retired and was serving in a special capacity with the department

Image
Ohio deputy fatally struck by man whose son had been shot by police: Authorities The man's 18-year-old son was fatally shot by police the day  before Show more Authorities in Ohio said a man "purposely" struck and killed a sheriff's deputy the day after his teen son was fatally shot by police. Rodney Hinton Jr. has been charged with aggravated murder in the death of the sheriff's deputy, who was struck Friday while directing traffic near the University of Cincinnati, according to authorities. Cincinnati police said Hinton is the father of 18-year-old Ryan Hinton, who was  shot and killed by an officer  the day before. Rodney Hinton Jr., seen here in court, has been charged with aggravated murder in the death of a sheriff's deputy. WCPO At a court appearance on Saturday, Hamilton County sheriff's deputies packed the courtroom in support of the fallen deputy,  according to ABC Cincinnati affiliate WCPO . Prosecuting attorney Ryan Nelson said that Hinton Jr....
Read more

Israel-Iran updates: Israel and Iran agree to ceasefire, Trump says

Image
  Israel-Iran updates: Israel and Iran agree to ceasefire, Trump says The agreement has two 12-hour ceasefire periods before the war is over, he said. Iran carried out a missile attack on the United States’ Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on Monday, according to a U.S. official, two days after  the U.S. struck three nuclear sites in Iran. There are no reports of casualties at the base, according to a U.S. official. Iran's attack was in response to the U.S. on Saturday sending B-2 bombers to drop 14 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs -- known as "bunker busters" -- over Iran. President Donald Trump on Sunday said that "Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran," though Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said a full battle damage assessment is still pending. Also on Monday, Trump announced that Israel and Iran have agreed to a ceasefire, after more than a week of aerial attacks following Israel's attack on Iran's nuclear program. ...
Read more