Jarah Wright
HENDERSON (KTNV) — City of Henderson officials have agreed to a settlement with the family of a 12-year-old boy that was killed during a 2020 police shootout.
According to documents filed by the city, they have agreed to pay $275,000 to settle a lawsuit that was filed Iehab Hawatmeh, who is the father of Joseph Hawatmeh.
2020: Family grieving loss of son killed in police shootout:
Family grieving loss of son killed in police shootout
Photo credit: Mary Ann Horn
The lawsuit states that Iehab’s wife and Joseph’s mom, Dianne, had previously complained to management at The Douglas at Stonelake apartment complex, near the 215 and Stephanie Street, that their upstairs neighbor, later identified as Jason Bourne, was making a lot of noise.
That led up to the incident on Nov. 3, 2020. According to the lawsuit, Dianne was about to park when Bourne motioned for her to stop the vehicle. After a short conversation, Bourne walked away from the vehicle and out of sight.
As Dianne and her daughter, Yasmeen, went into their apartment, the lawsuit states Bourne burst in after them and opened fire. He shot and killed Dianne and her other daughter, Veronica, before shooting Yasmeen eight times. Yasmeen survived the attack but her injuries rendered her a paraplegic.
The lawsuit states Bourne then took Joseph to the parking lot as a hostage “to ensure his safety and escape” and the pair got into a vehicle.
By that time, several neighbors had called 911 as well as Bourne, who spoke with Henderson police dispatchers for approximately 25 minutes.
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