CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Cynthia Luciano claimed two North Charleston Police Department officers were responsible for the death of 29-year-old Christian Olivencia back in August 2016, according to a newly-released lawsuit.
In August of this year, the City of North Charleston paid her $75,000 through the state’s Insurance Reserve Fund.
Coroner Rae Wooten said, at the time of the shooting, Olivencia died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, after exchanging fire with police.
It all came after police responded to Plantation Flats Apartments on Dunlap Street for an intoxicated man firing a gun into the air. Police said he left the apartment complex in a vehicle. They later located him on Strafford Street and tried to stop him.
Instead, police said he led them on a chase through Strafford Street, Ashley Phosphate Road, and Rivers Avenue, before turning back into the Plantation Flats Apartments.
Police said Olivencia got out of the car, with a gun in his hand, and they chased him. According to reports, he fired shots at police, and they fired back, before he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
In this lawsuit, Luciano claimed two officers with the department, “made the conscious decision to utilize inappropriate and improper use of deadly force by firing their service weapons indiscriminately at least 15 times directly at and/or in the direction of the decedent.”
“Upon information and belief, the decedent was struck with at least two shots to his person- one shot in the head and one shot to the right thigh,” the lawsuit claimed. “[Luciano] is informed and believes that the bullet that entered the decedent caused severe traumatic and his ultimate death.”
Lawyers for the City of North Charleston say the Evidence shows that he killed himself. The bullet that killed him, they say, came from his own gun.
The lawyers for Luciano have not responded to requests for comment.
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