In 1989, Officer Mello was involved in a nighttime raid on the Lavoie family’s apartment without knocking or announcing presence. The raid resulted in the fatal shooting of Bruce Lavoie by Officer Burke. The family filed a civil rights lawsuit alleging violations of their constitutional rights, including the use of excessive force and indifference to medical needs. The court found that the allegations raised questions about the reasonableness of the officers’ actions.
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