The former school police officer who shot an armed Nevada high school student in 2016 has filed a lawsuit two years after being fired by the Washoe County School District. In the suit, Cory Coombes alleges that the district did not accommodate his medically diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) caused by the incident.
Coombes had to use deadly force on a 14-year-old male who was armed with two knives. Video from the day of the incident showed the student swinging the knives and lunging toward other students. The student survived the shooting but has long-term mental and physical disabilities from the injury.
The suit claims Coombes was fired on July 20, 2020, days after a doctor informed the district that working as a police officer exacerbated his anxiety and panic, causing him to struggle to complete tasks, reports the Reno Gazette Journal.
He is seeking damages in excess of $15,000 and has requested a jury trial for back pay, discrimination and future earnings. According to a settlement demand included in court documents, Coombes claims he is owed $467,084 for seven years of back pay. He also says he lost vacation pay and seven years of public retirement and is requesting back pay until he is at full retirement age.
