Business freshman Jeff Knepper will file a claim against the city of Tucson this month for the injuries he sustained during the April 2 riots on North Fourth Avenue. Knepper's left eye was destroyed after a police-fired "less-lethal" munition struck him in the face. In all, Tucson Police fired about 450 rounds that night.
Knepper's wound is the most serious of the 40 reportedly inflicted by police weapons, but he is not the only person making record of injuries sustained during the riots. Seven complaints were filed between April 3 and 18 against the police's use of force.
Two Fourth Avenue business owners said they were in the area checking on their shops when they were hit. According to reports, one was explaining to a Tucson police officer why he was at his store when he was shot in the leg with a wooden dowel, or bullet, fired by another officer from 6 inches away. The other business owner said he was shot in the chest with a wooden bullet.
Another man filed a complaint saying he was shot at close range, saying he was hit in the chest with a "less-lethal" round fired by an officer standing 3 feet away. According to police reports, the man produced photographs of his injuries as well as the shirt he was wearing that night, marked with what he said were powder burns. The shirt was taken to the crime lab for processing, reports stated.
A woman told investigators she was hit on several parts of her body while she was riding her bicycle north on North Third Avenue between East Ninth and East 10th streets. The woman told officers her right eye, both legs and a bicep were injured.
A photographer who was in the area claims he was shot as many as seven times with "less-lethal" ammunition before police arrested him. He said he was injured on his back, buttocks, chest and face. Reports state that the man had visible marks on his right cheek, left buttock and the left side of his back.
A crew from KHRR-TV, a local Spanish-language station, filed a complaint stating that a female reporter was struck in the back by shrapnel from a "less-lethal" grenade while covering the riot. Also, a Phoenix reserve firefighter is alleging officers kicked him on the leg and shot and punched his ear as he was headed back to his car after exiting an area bar.
No officers have been named as responsible for any of the injuries.
