Crime & Safety

Family of Attorney Found Shot Sues Redding Police 2 Years After His Death

Danbury State's Attorney Stephen Sendensky said his office continues to investigate the case. The NAACP has launched its own investigation.

Wendy Ann Mitchell's profile picture
Wendy Ann Mitchell, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge

REDDING, CT — The family of a 35-year-old Redding attorney found with a gunshot wound in the head after a rollover accident in 2014 has filed a lawsuit against the Redding Police Department, according to a release from the family's attorney.

The family of Gugsa Abraham "Abe" Dabela alleges that police did not properly investigate his death and declared the death a "suicide" because he was black. The family has been working with the Connecticut Chapter of the NAACP and forensic experts to investigate Dabela's death.

Danbury State’s Attorney Stephen Sedensky III said last August that his office has been in regular contact with the family of Redding man and that the Redding Police Department has been cooperative with the family’s expert.

“We extend our sincere condolences to the family of Mr. Dabela, and we acknowledge and understand their concerns regarding the death of their loved one,” he said in a statement. “That said, we must note that it is not unusual for investigations such as this to take some time before a final determination can be made about the circumstances of the death.”

Dabela's father said:

“The loss of my son remains unfathomable, but the continuing revelation of lies about his death and efforts to destroy his legacy have worsened the grief and swept us into an unimaginable, never-ending nightmare,” said his father Dr. Abraham Dabela, a plaintiff. “We began this journey believing we would only have to find a killer but those who protect a killer must be brought to justice as well.”

Redding Police Chief Douglas Fuchs said in a statement that the department never used the word "suicide" and stated his death was due to a "self-inflicted" gunshot wound.

The Dabela family attorney stated in the suit that the "plaintiffs have endured severe emotional distress trying to convince various authorities and investigators that a wrong has been perpetuated against Mr. Dabela, his legacy and his loved ones."

Dabela's family and alleges police in Redding, "a mostly white town," rushed to judgement in ruling Dabela's death was due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound because he was black. It also alleges police violated his civil rights when they delayed processing his concealed pistol permit a year before his death.

The suit claims in the suit that between January through April of 2013, Dabela "was met with unlawful delay by the Redding Police Department in his efforts to obtain a concealed pistol permit which he was legally permitted to obtain and finally did obtain on April 9, 2013."

It continues:

"Nearly one year to the day after Mr. Dabela obtained his concealed carry permit, on April 5, 2014, during the very early morning hours, Mr. Dabela was murdered by Defendant Killer John Doe, by a single gunshot through the back of his head, with the bullet entrance wound approximately one inch behind the right ear and the exit wound approximately one inch behind his left ear."

The Redding Police Department found Dabela unresponsive in his vehicle after a rollover accident less than a mile away from his home, with a bullet wound through the back of his head. The Redding Police Department and the state Medical Examiner’s office determined that Dabela's death was due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The family's attorney said in the suit:

"The press release was distributed to an unknown number of media outlets, including the Associated Press, prior to notifying the family of Mr. Dabela of his untimely death, prior to a forensic pathology investigation to determine the nature and manner of death, and without even so much as performing a simple gunshot residue test of Mr. Dabela’s hands which, if this was indeed a suicide, would have positively resulted in detection of gunshot residue on at least one of his hands."

The lawsuit names 10 individuals including the Town of Redding municipality and the alleged "Killer John Doe."

The parties named are as follows:

  • The TOWN OF REDDING
  • DOUGLAS FUCHS, Chief of Police
  • RYAN ALCOTT, Public Safety Officer
  • MARC DELUCA, Public Safety Officer
  • PETER QUINN, Public Safety Officer
  • TIMOTHY SUCCI, Public Safety Officer
  • BRANDON KAUFMAN, Public Safety Officer
  • BRITTANY SALAFIA, Public Safety Officer
  • MICHAEL LIVINGSTON, Public Safety Officer
  • KILLER JOHN DOE

Redding Police Chief Douglas Fuchs told Patch that he can not comment on pending litigation.

The family launched a Facebook page Justice4Abe. They have also issued a reward for up to $125,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of "the murderer or anyone who has obstructed justice in the case." http://www.justice4abe.com/reward/

Related:

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

More from Danbury