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The family of John Crawford, a Black man who was fatally shot by a White police officer this summer as he held an air rifle inside a Walmart in Ohio, filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday charging negligence and violation of the man’s civil rights.

WATCH: Harsh Questioning Of John Crawford’s Girlfriend After His Slaying [VIDEO]

The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Dayton against the city of Beavercreek, the two Beavercreek officers involved, the police chief and Walmart Stores Inc. The suit comes just days after the Guardian newspaper released a video showing more than an hour of harsh questioning of Crawford’s girlfriend, Tasha Thomas, who was at the store with him.

John Crawford III was shot Aug. 5 inside the store in the Dayton suburb. Police responded after a 911 caller reported Crawford was waving what appeared to be a firearm.

 

A grand jury concluded the shooting was justified.

“All we want is justice for John Crawford,” the family’s attorney, Michael Wright said at a news conference Tuesday.

Crawford’s family has said previously that it was “incomprehensible” that the officers weren’t indicted. The family has sought a federal investigation to see if race was a factor, and the U.S. Justice Department has been reviewing the shooting.

Crawford’s death also has drawn demonstrations from protesters criticizing the shootings of young black men by police around the country, with some suggesting race was a factor.

Wright said the criminal justice system has so far refused to hold the officers accountable and that it is necessary for the civil justice system to do so. He said Crawford was just shopping and talking on his cellphone when he was shot.

“John Crawford did nothing wrong,” Wright said.

The police officer who fatally shot 22-year-old Crawford has said the man didn’t respond to repeated commands to drop the weapon and turned toward officers in an aggressive manner.

A Walmart spokeswoman said Tuesday that the Bentonville, Arkansas-based company takes its stores’ safety and security very seriously.

“Out of respect for everyone involved, we believe it’s not appropriate to discuss the specifics of this matter, but we can say that our associates acted properly,” Walmart spokeswoman Brooke Buchanan said in an email.

Beavercreek’s city attorney, speaking for the city and police, said in an email Tuesday that they are confident the trial will be fair.

“We believe the evidence will show that the officer’s actions were legally justified,” said Steve McHugh.

The lawsuit charges that all the defendants were guilty of negligence and that the officers were guilty of recklessness and depriving Crawford of his constitutional rights, including the right to be free of unreasonable seizures and excessive use of force.

The lawsuit also alleges that Walmart was negligent “concerning the placement of guns at its stores and also acted negligently in failing to secure” the air rifle, which the family’s attorneys said was left unpackaged on a shelf.

Wright said the family hopes the lawsuit will bring changes in the police department and Walmart’s merchandising practices.

“We want to be sure that this tragedy does not happen to any other family,” he said.

The lawsuit seeks at damages of at least $75,000, but that amount could change as the case proceeds, attorneys said.

SEE ALSO: Eyewitness Account Finally Released By Ferguson Prosecutor

John Crawford’s Family Sues City, Police, Walmart In Fatal Ohio Shooting  was originally published on newsone.com