Woman sues Charleston, Kanawha County Commission over sniper shooting search

CHARLESTON – The Sissonville woman whose property was destroyed during the police search for evidence related to the 2003 sniper shootings is suing the City of Charleston after she claims the destruction of property was done in a reckless manner.

The Kanawha County Commission; James Hunt, a Charleston police officer; David H. Armstrong, a Kanawha County Commission employee; and an unnamed person were also named as defendants in the suit.

On March 28, the defendants entered Sandra Shaffer's property to search her property for evidence regarding the 2003 sniper shootings, according to a complaint filed June 3 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

Shaffer claims the defendants destroyed her property, and that the destruction was unreasonable, unnecessary, negligent, reckless, willful and/or wanton and done in a manner inconsistence with the lawful exercise of a search warrant and performed in a manner to inflict "as much damaged as possible," to Shaffer's property.

The defendants' actions violated Shaffer's constitutional rights and were done in bad faith, according to the suit.

Shaffer claims the defendants' actions were also outrageous; constituted the intentional infliction of mental, physical and emotional distress; were negligent; fraudulent; malicious; and/or in blatant and intentional disregard of her rights.

Shaffer is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. She is being represented by Michael T. Clifford, Richelle K. Garlow and W. Edward ReBrook III.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge James C. Stucky.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 11-C-914