BOZEMAN — A hearing is set for the federal lawsuit filed by the estate of a man killed by police in Bozeman last year.
In April of 2023, 39-year-old Michael Rogel was shot and killed in his car by Bozeman officers. According to his family, Rogel was in a mental health crisis.
After 30 minutes of communicating, five officers fired 28 rounds after police say they observed Rogel turn and point his shotgun in their direction. Rogel and his dog were killed.
WATCH PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Coroner's inquest finds officer-involved shooting of Michael Rogel was justified
Last May, Rogel’s estate sued the Bozeman Police Department and the eight officers involved in the shooting. The estate alleges the department and officers violated Rogel's constitutional rights and wrongfully caused his death.
The lawsuit claims the department and officers were not properly trained and failed to de-escalate the situation by not calling in mental health professionals.
A coroner's inquest in 2023 found that the officer-involved shooting that killed Rogel was justified.
A motion to dismiss the case will be heard Monday, Oct. 21, 2024 in Great Falls.
