Florida man sues after being paralyzed by officer who mistook gun for Taser

Michael Ortiz seeks millions from Hollywood, Florida, and Henry Andrews, who also faces a misdemeanor charge for 2021 shooting

A Florida man who was paralyzed when a police officer shot him after mistaking his handgun for his stun gun filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against the city of Hollywood, the officer and others, saying: “My life got destroyed.”

Michael Ortiz is seeking unspecified millions of dollars from Hollywood, Florida, and Henry Andrews, 50, the officer who also faces a misdemeanor charge for the 2021 shooting, one of several over the last 20 years in which officers have said they mistook their gun for their Taser. The federal civil rights lawsuit also names officers Dionte Roots and Jhonny Jimenez, who were subduing Ortiz when Andrews shot him.