Family of Colorado Woman Killed by Police Secures $2 Million Settlement

Destinee Thompson’s family has reached a $2 million settlement with the Arvada Police Department after an officer fatally shot the 27-year-old pregnant woman in a case of mistaken identity. Thompson, who was unarmed and seven months pregnant, was killed in August 2021 after being misidentified as a shoplifting suspect. The incident has reignited debates about excessive force and systemic bias in policing.

Officer Anthony Benallo fired eight shots at Thompson as she attempted to drive away from a chaotic scene outside a hotel where police confronted her. According to the lawsuit, Benallo claimed he believed a fellow officer was being dragged under Thompson’s minivan. However, a reenactment by the police department revealed that the officer in question was standing unharmed a few feet away and visible to Benallo through the shattered passenger window. No other officers at the scene discharged their weapons.

The encounter began after police responded to reports of a shoplifting suspect armed with a switchblade who had fled to the hotel. Surveillance footage and eyewitness accounts later confirmed that Thompson, who resembled the suspect only superficially, was not involved in the theft. Thompson’s attorney, Siddartha Rathod, argued that racial profiling played a significant role, stating, “The only similarity between Destinee and the shoplifter was the color of her skin.”

Despite these revelations, District Attorney Alexis King cleared Benallo of criminal wrongdoing, arguing that his actions were justified under the circumstances. The decision drew outrage from Thompson’s family, who accused law enforcement of failing to exercise restraint and escalating the encounter unnecessarily. “The crime and the punishment do not fit,” said Carmela Delgado, Thompson’s stepmother. “It’s deeply concerning that this level of force was justified.”

Thompson’s death has highlighted broader issues of accountability in policing, particularly in cases involving women of color. While the settlement brings some financial relief to her family, they continue to seek justice and systemic change. “I’ll never stop fighting for her,” said her father, Francis Thompson. “She deserved better, and so does our community.”