A Long Island man was shot in the face after he mistakenly tried to enter the home of an off-duty NYPD officer. The man is now suing the cop, the city and the NYPD for $35 million over his “disfiguring” injuries.
According to NYpost, 27-year-old Rinaldo Laviolette drunkenly tried to open the door of Detective Douglas DeOtto’s home on March 5. He told authorities he attended a house party that night and accidentally left with someone else’s wallet and phone. He returned to the residence to return the items but went to the wrong home. The officer thought Rinaldo was trying to break in and open fire, striking him in the right eye.
The shooting caused Rinaldo to lose his eye. He was also left with brain damage, a “shattered” skull, and a “permanently scarred” psyche. He has since had multiple surgeries and now lives with a titanium plate in his head. Rinaldo’s lawyer Daniel Solinsky says that his client has been unable to work since the incident and is facing “astronomical” medical bills.