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A federal judge awarded nearly $2 million in damages after determining that an FBI agent was negligent when he shot and killed a kidnapped Texas man during a botched rescue effort.
The mother and son of Ulises Valladares, 47, were awarded the money as part of a civil lawsuit filed in Houston federal court alleging the man was helpless while he was bound and blindfolded when FBI agent Gavin Lappe shot him in January 2018 as agents entered a home where he was being held captive.
Lappe told investigators he only fired his gun when he suspected that a kidnapper had grabbed his rifle after the agent broke a window to enter the home and did not know he was shooting Valladares.
FBI agent Gavin Lappe was protected against the lawsuit through qualified immunity, which shields law enforcement from liability for wrongdoing. (iStock)
Former Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo previously said Lappe’s explanation for shooting Valladares is not backed up by evidence reviewed by police investigators.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.