DEARBORN – A lawsuit has revealed that a Dearborn police office shot an unarmed man 9 times last year during a foot pursuit last year that led to a slaying.

The Relatives of 35-year-old Kevin Matthew have filed a $10 million wrongful death lawsuit against the officer and city.

The lawsuit alleges the officer used excessive force and violated the rights of Matthew during the Dec. 23 incident.

Dearborn Police Chief Ronald Haddad said he hadn’t seen the lawsuit and declined comment. The Associated Press sent an email seeking comment from city spokeswoman Mary Laundroche. Police say Matthews struggled with the officer following a chase into a Detroit yard. Matthew, who was unarmed, was suspected in a Dearborn theft and had a warrant in Redford Township.

Matthews’ mother, Valarie Johnson, said he had mental and emotional problems.

In the complaint, lawyers for Matthews’ estate say the office “reverted to the use of excessive force and shot his departmental issued handgun from defendant City of Dearborn a total of nine times into the chest and torso of … Kevin Matthews, and in essence, executing (him) … as a result of his failing to stop during the aforesaid foot pursuit.”

In the day following his death, Matthew’s family claimed that he was treated and abused like a “dog” during the confrontation. 

The lawsuit also alleges that police officers in Dearborn aren’t properly trained to deal with suspects who have mental health issues, and that police “undertake unlawful and unequal treatment” against African-Americans in and around Dearborn.

Matthew’s incident came one month before another fatal shooting. In January 2016, a Dearborn police officer also opened fire on 31-year-old Janet Wilson following a scuffle at Fairlane Town Center. 

Both incidents led to numerous protests, lawsuits form both families and an intervention from the Department of Justice. Both Matthew and Wilson’s cases have not yet resulted in any charges from the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office towards the police officers or the department.