A recent report from Connecticut’s Office of Inspector General has found that West Hartford Officer Andrew Teeter was justified in using deadly force during a confrontation with Mike Alexander-Garcia, who was attempting to escape in a stolen vehicle and was being restrained by a police dog. The incident took place on August 8, 2023, and has drawn significant public attention.
Inspector General Robert J. Devlin, Jr. stated in the report that Officer Teeter’s decision to fire five shots into Alexander-Garcia’s torso was both “reasonable and justified” to protect himself and others from the perceived threat of serious injury or death.
This determination comes just four months after Alexander-Garcia’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Officer Teeter, the West Hartford police, and the town. The lawsuit alleges violations of constitutional rights and calls for a federal investigation into potential racial profiling by law enforcement.
In response to the report, lawyers representing the family expressed their disappointment, arguing that Alexander-Garcia’s death was “completely unnecessary” and resulted from “over-aggressive” police tactics. They emphasized that different decisions by Officer Teeter could have prevented the tragic outcome and vowed to pursue justice on behalf of Alexander-Garcia’s family.
The confrontation unfolded during the busy evening rush hour in a Hartford suburb when police pursued a reported stolen vehicle, which ultimately crashed. After abandoning the vehicle, Alexander-Garcia attempted to take control of two occupied cars and later entered a car service center, where he found a Toyota RAV4 with the keys inside.
Officer Teeter deployed a police dog into the vehicle to restrain Alexander-Garcia and entered the RAV4 himself, but the situation escalated as Alexander-Garcia tried to drive away, repeatedly ignoring orders and warnings. The body camera footage captured his pleas for release, stating, “Let me out. Please. Please Officer.”
The shooting occurred as Alexander-Garcia recklessly attempted to flee the scene, colliding with multiple objects before crashing into a utility pole. He was treated at the scene but was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.
The inspection report concluded that Officer Teeter’s actions, including deploying the police dog and entering the vehicle, were reasonable under the circumstances. However, Alexander-Garcia’s family contends that such actions constituted excessive force that led to a tragic escalation of events.
