Family seeking more answers about LAPD officer who died after injury during training accident

WOODLAND HILLS, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The family of a Los Angeles Police Department officer who died after a training accident is sharing new information on the circumstances surrounding his death and searching for more answers from the agency.

The family's attorney is claiming Chief Michel Moore is not being truthful about what exactly happened.

LAPD officer Houston Tipping, 32, suffered a severe spinal cord injury during a training accident at the police academy on May 26 and died three days later.

The family wants to know exactly what happened.

"This news conference is about the truth," the family's attorney, Bradley Gage, said Tuesday at a press conference in Woodland Hills. "Everybody deserves to be told the truth."

There are reports that during the training exercise Tipping was beaten by fellow officers. LAPD Chief Michel Moore has denied that.

"Officer Tipping did not sustain any laceration to the head, any cut or otherwise to his head as a result of his fall to the ground when he and another officer, during a training exercise, fell to the ground," Moore said. "Officer Tipping was also not struck or beaten during this training session."

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Gage showed images of Tipping's CAT scan showing what he says is proof there was a laceration.

"All these little items here, six of them, are staples. Staples are utilized in order to close a laceration in the head," Gage said.

Gage also showed several affidavits. One from a registered nurse and another from a firefighter who say they saw the staples and lacerations.

"She personally touched the side of his head and in the back region behind the ear she felt roughness such staples in the head," according to Gage.

Tipping's mother filed a claim against the city alleging wrongful death and civil rights violations.

"Something went seriously wrong here I cannot fathom anything other than a severe beating," says Gage

Eyewitness News contacted the LAPD and were told "The Chief welcomes any evidence and stands by his remarks at Police Commission."

The Chief told the police commission that there is an investigation underway right now to find out what happened. He expects it will be complete in 30 days.