Family Sues Over 2024 Galveston Police Shooting of Man in Crisis

The relatives of a Galveston man shot and killed by police in March 2024 have filed a federal lawsuit, claiming that an officer escalated a mental health crisis shortly after agreeing to wait for assistance.

A lawsuit has been initiated on behalf of Ezekiel Savell, alleging that Galveston police officer Bryan Pham instigated the confrontation resulting in the fatal shooting within Savell’s apartment on Avenue P. The family of Savell asserts that he suffered from schizophrenia and had been undergoing treatment since 2017, a detail they claim was communicated to officers by dispatch prior to their arrival.

Authorities responded at approximately 10 a.m. on March 2, 2024, following reports of an assault involving a lawn care worker. The lawsuit states that Savell, startled awake by the sound of a chainsaw outside his second-story apartment, confronted the worker and subsequently struck him with a knife. When officers arrived on the scene, Savell had already gone back inside.

Footage from body cameras referenced in the lawsuit reveals officers strategizing on how to manage Savell while awaiting the arrival of his mother and mental health experts. According to the filing, Pham was directed to stay at the rear of the apartment. The lawsuit claims that he instead approached the unit, called for Savell to come out, and then shot him multiple times when Savell emerged with a knife in hand.

The family contends that the application of force was unwarranted and infringed upon Savell’s rights under the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments.

“The choice made by Officer Pham to intensify the confrontation … led to that perilous moment of threat,” attorney Holt Lackey stated in the complaint.

The lawsuit additionally cites a recent ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court concerning a shooting in the Houston area, which instructed courts to take into account the “totality of the circumstances” rather than solely the immediate threat in cases of excessive force.

Kalli Savell, the mother of Savell, raised concerns about the officer's conduct prior to the shooting.

“I was puzzled as to why he was on the porch,” the mother remarked. “He had the option to observe from the parking lot.”

State records indicate that Pham is still employed by the Galveston Police Department and received certification as a mental health officer in November 2024, just months following the shooting.

City officials have yet to make any public statements regarding the lawsuit. By May 18, the court expects the city's lawyers to respond.