Minnesota court dismisses civil suit over Ricky Cobb II's death
- A federal judge dismissed a civil rights lawsuit against Trooper Ryan Londregan for the shooting of Ricky Cobb II during a traffic stop in July 2023.
- The court found that Londregan did not act unreasonably, as Cobb's vehicle began moving forward with another trooper partially inside.
- The family of Cobb is considering an appeal or amendment to their complaint following the dismissal of their lawsuit.
In a notable court decision, a federal judge has dismissed a civil rights lawsuit related to the shooting of Ricky Cobb II by state trooper Ryan Londregan during a traffic stop in Minnesota on July 31, 2023. The lawsuit, filed by Cobb's family, accused Londregan and another trooper, Brett Seide, of excessive use of force and unreasonable search and seizure. The incident began when the troopers pulled Cobb over for having inoperative tail lights and discovered he was wanted for violating a no-contact order in a domestic case. The situation escalated when Cobb allegedly attempted to drive away from the scene while one of the troopers was partially inside his vehicle. Londregan fired twice, fatally wounding Cobb. The court's ruling highlighted that Londregan's reaction was deemed reasonable under the circumstances, especially given the potential risk posed to law enforcement and the public by Cobb's actions. Previously charged with murder, Londregan's case had garnered significant media attention due to its political implications amid the broader context of racial justice, sparked by incidents such as George Floyd's death in 2020. Ultimately, the Hennepin County Attorney dropped the charges against him citing evidential challenges. Now, after the dismissal of the civil suit, Londregan’s attorney expressed relief, while Cobb’s family is contemplating whether to appeal the ruling or modify their legal approach.