Lawsuit filed against Douglas County Sheriff's Office after 5-year-old shot

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ga. - The family of a 5-year-old girl injured in a police-involved shooting at a Fulton County gas station has filed a federal lawsuit against Deputy Thomas Samples and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO), accusing them of reckless conduct that endangered innocent lives.

ORIGINAL STORY: Child injured by gunfire after high-speed chase, attempted carjacking in Fulton County

What we know:

The shooting took place on June 23, 2024, during a chaotic police pursuit of 25-year-old Rashauny Mike Palmer, who was fleeing from law enforcement after escaping custody. 

According to investigators, Palmer had been wanted on multiple charges, including aggravated assault, kidnapping, and escape. 

He led authorities on a high-speed chase from Douglas County into Fulton County before crashing his Dodge Charger at the Fulton Industrial Boulevard exit.

Palmer then ran to a nearby BP gas station, where he allegedly attempted to carjack a BMW occupied by Aaliyah Adams, her daughter Skylar, and another adult. During the attempted carjacking, Deputy Samples fired into the vehicle, striking Skylar, who was in the backseat. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) later stated the child was likely hit by a ricocheting bullet fragment.

Skylar was rushed to the hospital with injuries that were deemed non-life-threatening. Palmer was apprehended at the scene and now faces an extensive list of charges across multiple jurisdictions, including attempted murder, terroristic threats, cruelty to children, and obstruction.

Lawsuit Alleges Pattern of Reckless Behavior

What they're saying:

In the lawsuit filed by attorneys Ben Crump, Bakari Sellers, and Mario Pacella, the family alleges that Deputy Samples acted without assessing the risk to innocent bystanders when he opened fire near gas pumps and into an occupied vehicle. The complaint also argues that Palmer was unarmed at the time and posed no immediate threat to justify lethal force.

PREVIOUS STORY: Five-year-old injured in Douglas Co. deputy shooting: Ben Crump hired

"This little girl is lucky to be alive," said Crump. "Not only do we need officers like this to be held accountable, we need to hold accountable the departments that hire and protect them."

The lawsuit outlines a troubling pattern of misconduct by Samples, alleging that:

• Before joining DCSO in 2022, Samples had been charged in a separate incident involving pointing a firearm during a road rage altercation.
• In March 2024, he underwent remedial training after tasing and arresting someone in their own home without verifying a crime had occurred.
• He was suspended later that same month for engaging in a dangerous high-speed pursuit where he allegedly ran a red light at 129 mph.
• On June 3, 2024, just weeks before the gas station shooting, Samples was removed from the agency’s Emergency Response Team after failing a basic firearms qualification during SWAT training.

"This isn’t a one-time mistake," said Pacella. "This is a history of recklessness and negligence. The fact that the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office gave Thomas Samples a badge and then let him keep it despite these documented incidents is a threat to all of us."

The other side:

FOX 5 Atlanta reached out to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office for a statement. They sent the following reply: "Under our policy, we cannot comment on matters that are subject to active legal proceedings."