Family Of 14-Year-Old Boy Shot By Authorities In Hudspeth County Seeks $10 Million

It’s been two months since a 14-year-old boy was killed after a confrontation with sheriff’s deputies and game wardens in Hudspeth County.

Now, his family is looking for $10 million from the agencies they say are responsible for their son’s death.

Local attorney Gary Hill is representing the Lucas family out of Hudspeth county.

He told me the demand letter is the first step in putting various agencies on notice … that they intend to sue, unless a settlement is reached.

“This child was ADHD, he had glasses as thick as the bottom of a coke bottle, he had tubes in his ears.”

Local Attorney Gary Hill says 14-year-old Anthony Shay – or Lucas – had more going against him than for him, including a attention deficit disorder, bad eyes and bad hearing.

“I don’t think he could hear what they were saying or understand it because he had to look at you and watch your mouth move in order to understand what you were saying,” said Hill.

In april, Anthony went missing and he hadn’t taken his medication for days.

Hudspeth sheriff’s deputies and Texas game wardens found him at a deer camp – the Gun Sight ranch.

He had a gun and was allegedly shooting at them.

After repeated attempts to get him to stop, a warden opened fire, killing him.

“I told them shoot over here, shoot over there … Scare him, let him know we’re serious. He’s 14, he’s a kid. No ma’am, when we shoot, we shoot to hit,” said Anthony’s mother, Kay Lucas.

In a statement released by the department of public safety, authorities said the officers urged him to put down the gun, but he continued firing at them, and ran to a third location, where he climbed to the top of a barn and shot at officers.

“I know he was shooting at them, but if he wanted to shoot them, he could have,” said Anthony’s step-father, John Lucas.

The boy was said to have a rifle, which was never found, but Hill admits Lucas stole two small pistols from a neighbor and family friend.

“The kid had a .22 pistol and a .25 pistol, neither of which had any range to them.” said Hill.

And, according to Hill – the Hudspeth county sheriff, Arvin West – was familiar with Lucas, “There had been problems between the Sheriff and this family and this specific child in the past.”

So considering his disabilities, Hill says the sheriff should have known better than to treat the boy like a criminal, “There are holes in the barns in the trailers, these are actually ones that hit something, I mean there must have been 80 shots fired at this child,” said Hill.

ABC 7 called and e-mailed Sheriff West, but didn’t hear back from him before deadline. Hill says the agencies named have 30 days to respond. If not, they’ll be hit with a lawsuit.