Cleveland to Pay $4.8 Million to Family of Teenager Killed in Police Pursuit

Sarah Johnson, a spokeswoman for the city, said in an statement on Monday that the decision to settle the case had been an “extremely difficult one,” adding that the city had to consider that the pursuit had begun because of a “violent armed carjacking.”

“On one hand, you have police officers who were trying to do their job to remove violent armed individuals from the streets so they couldn’t victimize more people and commit additional violent crimes,” Ms. Johnson said. “On the other hand, a 13-year-old girl was tragically killed, leaving her family, friends and entire community in heartbreak.”

Sherrie Chappman, Tamia’s mother, said at the news conference on Monday that the settlement would not bring her any closure.

“I’ll never get my daughter back,” she said.

The day before the pursuit, on Dec. 19, 2020, D’Shaun McNear, who was 15 at the time, stole a 72-year-old woman’s car after holding her at gunpoint, court records show. The following day, Mr. McNear held another woman at gunpoint, this time in a Cleveland-area Target store, and stole her car, according to court records. Mr. McNear sped off in that woman’s car and was soon spotted by an off-duty police officer, who followed him onto an interstate, court records show.

What followed was a winding chase through residential streets in Cleveland and east of the city during which Mr. McNear at times drove faster than 90 miles per hour. Eventually, Mr. McNear swerved around a bus, struck a car in oncoming traffic and drove onto a sidewalk where several children were heading to a library, according to court records.