Family Sues Trooper for Wrongful Death of Wendy Lawrence

The family of Wendy Lawrence, a woman shot and killed by a New Hampshire state trooper in Manchester in 2013, has sued the trooper responsible for her death.

State Trooper Chad Lavoie fired 11 bullets through Lawrence’s windshield on Sep. 30, 2013 after Lawrence, 45, took off at a traffic stop and led police on a chase for several miles. Four of the bullets hit Lawrence, including a fatal shot to her chest.

Though Lavoie said Lawrence was driving toward him and the shots were in self defense, Lawrence’s family doesn’t believe the claim.

“There’s no warning shot, no attempt to disable the vehicle, no attempt to shoot out tires or radiators or anything that could have accomplished arresting Wendy Lawrence without killing her,” the family’s attorney, Richard Lehmann, said to WMUR-TV.

The attorney general’s report on the incident stated Lawrence had purposely driven into a cruiser and then backed into another, prompting Lavoie to get out of his car.

Lehmann questions this fact as well, saying footage taken from a trooper camera shows Lawrence’s car was stationary when cops caught up to her in Manchester.

“Trooper Lavoie acted differently than the other state troopers. He came in, blocked her in, got out of his car and started shooting. We believe that was unnecessary,” Lehmann said to WMUR-TV.

The Attorney General’s Office, which previously cleared Lavoie, will represent him in the case.

Also read:

NH AG Clears State Trooper in Woman’s Death

Was State Police Shooting of Wendy Lawrence Justified?

High Speed Chase on I-93 Ends in a Shooting

image: Patch file photo