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The Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department (KCPD) will pay $4.1 million to the family of Cameron Lamb as part of a settlement ruling.
KCPD Officer Eric DeValkenaere shot and killed Lamb back in 2019. DeValkenaere was convicted and sentenced to prison.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson then commuted his sentence in December near the end of his term as the state's governor.
On Tuesday, a federal judge accepted the wrongful death settlement.
Cameron Lamb's mother sent KSHB 41 -+News a statement.
"I'm grateful that funds will be released to assist with the kids and his upbringing since their dad is no longer her to provide for them," Laurie Bey said. "This helps. It doesn't change the fact that I miss my son dearly, and would rather have his life over money."
This settlement is just the latest to be paid out by Kansas City, Missouri, adding to a staggering total in the past five years.
KSHB 41 I-Team's investigation into KCPD lawsuit settlements revealed the department paid out more than $10 million from 2022 to 2023.
$9,680,000 of that money went to cases involving excessive force, wrongful death, assault and battery and false arrest.
Settlement records from the City of Kansas City show payouts totaling over $19 million from January 2021 to October 2024.
Accountability advocates like the co-founder of KC LEAP explained the high numbers are a concerning call for change.
"That's not the answer, throwing more money at it," Steveland Young said. "The answer is actually looking in the mirror and saying, 'Hey, we need to do something different."'
KC LEAP is an organization that keeps track of police-involved shootings and incidents involving force to be sure they are fully investigated.
Young has been close with Lamb's family since his death in 2019.
"We know the amount of pain that they went through and how long a road this has been," Young said. "This still does not close the chapter."
Lamb's lawsuit of $4.1 million joins a number of other KCPD payouts. As our I-Team reported back in 2023, police settlements come from their annual budget which is funded in part by the city. Both the Kansas City Mayor and Police Chief agreed the high numbers needed to be addressed.
Young explained the repeated settlements don't show accountability.
"It's still falling on deaf ears," Young said. "There's no repercussions for the police to want to change."
KSHB 41 News received he City of Kansas City's own settlement payouts, excluding the police department, through a records request.
Those payouts totaled $19,437,182 from January 2021 to October 2024. The city paid out $2,166,259.32 in 2021, $7,334,639.83 in 2022, $7,647,092.28 and $2,289,190.54 in the first nine months of 2024.
That's $14,187.70 each day.
Those dollars come in part from the taxpayers.
"It makes me angry," Young said. "It really upsets me because our money, our tax money, can be going in so many different places to actually raise communities up."
KCPD responded to KSHB 41 News' request for comment with a statement.
"Cameron Lamb's family has suffered an immeasurable loss," the KCPD statement said. "This settlement resolves all legal claims and we hope it provides some measure of solace. We are grateful we were able to come to a mutually agreeable resolution."
But to advocates like Young, money payouts send a message.
"The community will not trust an organization who will not hold their own accountable," Young said.
