Luke O. Stewart

The Washington Post's Fatal Force database records Luke O. Stewart in a fatal on-duty police shooting on 2017-03-13 in Euclid, OH. Individual circumstances and legal outcome require case-specific review.

What happened

Luke O. Stewart, 23, was shot and killed by Euclid, Ohio police Officer Matthew Rhodes on March 13, 2017, after a neighbor reported an unfamiliar idling car near South Lakeshore Boulevard. Stewart had fallen asleep in the parked vehicle after a friend did not answer the door. Officers Louis Catalani and Rhodes approached; both later testified that they did not initially identify themselves as police. An encounter at the car escalated when Stewart drove away with Rhodes at or inside the vehicle, and Rhodes fired, killing him. Stewart's mother, Mary Stewart, sued the city and Rhodes over the use of force. In 2020, the Sixth Circuit affirmed dismissal of federal claims but reversed dismissal of certain state-law claims, allowing those portions of the case to continue. Testimony at a subsequent civil trial detailed the initial failure to identify as police. The civil appellate ruling addressed particular legal claims and cannot be treated as a blanket finding that every detail in the officers' version was established.

Investigation & findings

Individual legal and investigative outcome not yet reviewed.

What happened

Investigation & findings

Sources & records