LAPD Cop Killed in Training ‘Accident’ Was Probing Officer-Involved Gang Rape: Lawyer
BEATEN DOWN
LAPD officer and bike instructor Houston Tipping was killed during a training session on May 26 in what the LAPD described as an accident. But his attorney now argues that Hipping was beaten to death by a group of officers in front of another officer Tipping was investigating for gang rape. The victim of the rape had alleged she was raped by four people, all LAPD officers, attorney Bradley Gage said at a Monday press conference. “She knew the names of some of those officers because they were in uniform and they had their name tags on. That name of one of those officers with the name tag seems to correlate with one of the officers that was at the bicycle training.” The LAPD said Tipping fell from a height during a demonstration with another cop, resulting in a catastrophic spinal injury. An autopsy report by the coroner’s office declared the death an accident. But his family have questioned that ruling, largely due to the severity of the injuries, including a collapsed lung, severe liver damage, several broken ribs, and six staples to the head. The coroner’s office said those injuries occurred in the efforts to save Tipping’s life.