ACLU Seeks $100M for the Killing of Claudia Patricia Gómez González

Last year, we were devastated to hear about the murder of Claudia Patricia Gómez González. The 20-year-old was shot and killed by the U.S. Border Patrol in Rio Bravo, which is on the border of Mexico and Texas. A year later, lawyers demand justice. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is representing the family and yesterday filed a legal claim against the federal government for $100 million in damages for the death of Gómez González.

“We are demanding justice for the senseless killing of Claudia Patricia Gómez González,” Andre Segura, legal director for the ACLU of Texas, said in a statement. “It’s been more than a year, and the U.S. Government still has not held the agency or the agent who shot and killed her responsible. It is crucial to hold our government accountable, and we will pursue every avenue to make sure action is taken to obtain justice for Claudia and prevent further needless loss of life.”

The fatal shooting of Gómez González and the aftermath was captured on video when residents of Rio Bravo said that border agents were shooting at undocumented people.

According to CBS News, the border patrol initially said that the agent fired because he was being attacked by “multiple subjects using blunt objects,” they also called Gómez González an “assailant,” but she was unarmed.

The ACLU reports that “Claudia was traveling along Centeno Lane, in Rio Bravo, with a few other people. A U.S. Border Patrol agent confronted the group. Claudia — a petite woman of small build— did not have any weapons or anything that could remotely be perceived as a weapon, and neither she nor anyone near her did anything that could plausibly be seen as threatening or violent. The agent then drew his weapon and shot her in the head.”

The border patrol then changed their story about what happened that day. They said that no one was throwing objects at him and that the young woman never assaulted anyone. The agent who shot her has yet to be named and was also placed on administrative leave last year. The border patrol has not released a statement regarding this lawsuit.

“We will forever have an emptiness in our hearts because an agent of the U.S. government took Claudia’s life in such a horrific and unnecessary way,” Gilberto Gomez Vicente, father of Claudia Gomez, said, according to the ACLU.”Claudia was a kind, loving, and peaceful girl with big dreams, who would never do anything to harm anyone. My promise to Claudia is to fight for justice so that her life is not forgotten and her death is not in vain.”