Colorado Teen Killed By Off-Duty Officer After Breaking Into Vacant Home To Party With Friends.

Colorado Teen Killed By Off-Duty Officer After Breaking Into Vacant Home To Party With Friends⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

On Thursday, the family of Denver, Colorado teenager Alexis Mendez-Perez filed a lawsuit accusing an off-duty corrections officer of utilizing excessive force when he fatally shot the 16-year-old.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

The wrongful death suit arrives more than two months after Denver District Attorney Beth McCann declined to file charges against state Department of Corrections criminal investigator, 46-year-old Desmond Manning. McCann said that she believed there was not enough evidence to convict Manning of murder beyond a reasonable doubt.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

The shooting took place just after 1 a.m. on April 23rd when Mendez-Perez and four other high school friends were suspected of breaking into a vacant rental home in northeast Denver, which was located directly in behind Manning's home. According to authorities, Manning's wife was preparing for bed when she spotted five males attempt to break in the home. She called 911 and awoke her husband, who then retrieved a handgun from a lockbox before making sure his home was secured. The wife then called the police a second time after seeing the group of boys inside of the neighbouring home.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Once police arrived, the group of teens scattered. Mendez-Perez and his friend Andy Munoz jumped the fence and ended up in Manning's backyard. According to the lawsuit, Manning turned on his porch light and fired five times at the boys, hitting Mendez-Perez in the back and 18-year-old Munoz in the back of the leg. The complaint states that Manning "did not warn anyone or say anything before shooting." Munoz is also listed as a plaintiff in the case.