Pleban & Associates filed a federal lawsuit that challenges the circumstances surrounding the November 2022 police shooting death of Taylor Shomaker, 32, during a standoff at his mother’s O’Fallon, Missouri home. The case centers on body camera and surveillance footage that attorneys claim contradicts official police reports about the incident.
Shomaker was fatally shot after coming outside to let his dog out of his car during a 90-minute standoff with the St. Charles County Regional SWAT team. The suit alleges that a police negotiator had given Shomaker permission to exit the house for this purpose and told him officers would “be calm.”
Video evidence shows Shomaker walking calmly to his vehicle with his firearm pointed toward the ground when officers opened fire, ultimately shooting him 19 times, including fatal shots to his back. The lawsuit claims Shomaker never made threatening movements toward officers and only returned fire after being shot.
<p”One shot is too many. Nineteen shots is outrageous,” said attorney JC Pleban who is representing Shomker’s mother, Kelly Surtin.
The case raises questions about police use of force protocols and crisis intervention procedures, with mental health experts noting that Shomaker’s calm demeanor during the shooting may have reflected trauma responses associated with PTSD. The lawsuit names officers from St. Peters, St. Charles, and O’Fallon police departments as defendants.