Federal lawsuit planned in Seneca police-shooting case

An attorney for the unarmed teenager who was shot and killed by a Seneca police officer in July said he plans to file a federal lawsuit today in the case.

Attorney Eric Bland said he is working on final edits and plans to file the suit this afternoon.

The suit is the latest in a series of legal efforts in the case of 19-year-old Zachary Hammond, who was shot by Lt. Mark Tiller in the parking lot of a Hardee’s restaurant during a marijuana sting aimed at a passenger in his car.

Tiller says he fired in self-defense, believing Hammond was trying to run over him with his car.