LaMorie family sues Howard County over 2026 autism-related shooting

A federal lawsuit was filed on Thursday against Howard County and three police officers involved in the March death of Alexander LaMorie, a 25-year-old man with autism.

Jamie Strawbridge, an attorney with Brown, Goldstein & Levy, LLP, announced the legal action during a press conference. The suit was submitted to federal district court on behalf of LaMorie's estate and his mother. It names the county and the three officers as defendants. The filing claims violations of federal statutes, specifically the Americans with Disabilities Act, along with relevant state laws.

The incident occurred at Patuxent Commons, a Columbia apartment complex designed for affordable housing for adults with disabilities and seniors. LaMorie had moved into the building just three days before the shooting. Police responded to a 911 call regarding a man threatening self-harm. Authorities stated that LaMorie was carrying a knife and was shot 12 times while walking toward officers. They said he refused to drop the weapon.

Strawbridge argued that the county sent four armed officers without mental health specialists. "Rather than provide the modified emergency response services that Alex needed, Howard County sent four police officers armed with deadly weapons and no mental health resources," Strawbridge said. He noted that the officers were dispatched without a specific plan for a crisis involving a person with autism.

The lawyer questioned the availability of less lethal tools during the encounter. "Before they shot and killed Alex, they asked, 'Do you have your Taser? Does anyone have less lethal?' No one did," Strawbridge said. He characterized the police response as a force-first approach that escalated the situation instead of de-escalating it.

Body camera footage was released by the Maryland Attorney General's Office one month after the shooting. The video identified the officers as Joel Rodriguez, a two-year veteran; Cody Bostic, a six-year veteran; and Joseph Riebau, a 10-year veteran. None of the three officers faced criminal charges for their actions.

The shooting prompted county leaders to review their emergency protocols. Howard County Executive Calvin Ball and former Police Chief Gregory Der launched an investigation into the county's handling of mental health crises. This year, the county established a task force including police, agency representatives, and social service professionals. A July meeting of that group examined current training and response procedures.