Timothy Cook Family Sues City of Memphis and Memphis Police for $35 Million Over June 2025 Fatal Shooting

The family of Timothy Cook, a 35-year-old man who died after being shot by a Memphis Police Department officer in June 2025, is seeking $35 million in a lawsuit against the City of Memphis, the Memphis Police Department and two officers.

The lawsuit was filed in Shelby County Circuit Court as Case No. CT-2873-26 and was removed to federal court on September 23, 2026. The federal case is Fitzgerald et al. v. City of Memphis et al., No. 2:26-cv-03259, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee.

This is an active civil rights lawsuit. There is no settlement, claim form or public compensation program. The $35 million is the amount the plaintiffs are seeking. It is not a court award, and filing a complaint does not establish that the defendants are liable.

Quick Facts: Timothy Cook Memphis Police Lawsuit

Detail	Information
Plaintiffs listed on the federal docket	Latasha Fitzgerald and Timothy Cook
Defendants	City of Memphis, Memphis Police Department, Officer Timothy J. Davis and Officer Terrianus Hall
Federal case	Fitzgerald et al. v. City of Memphis et al.
Federal case number	2:26-cv-03259
Original state case	Shelby County Circuit Court Case No. CT-2873-26
Federal court	U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
Nature of suit	Civil rights
Amount sought	$35 million
Shooting	June 13, 2025
Death	June 16, 2025
Removed to federal court	September 23, 2026
Status	Active litigation
Settlement	None announced
Claim form or deadline	None
Class action	No indication of one

The federal docket confirms the parties and that the City of Memphis and Memphis Police Department removed the Shelby County case to federal court. It also shows both sides requested a jury. The publicly indexed docket shows the removal filing but not the full state-court complaint, so specific allegations should be checked against the Shelby County filing.

What Happened to Timothy Cook in Memphis in June 2025?

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) investigated the shooting. In its preliminary account, TBI said officers encountered a large group of people in a business parking lot near Park Avenue and Grand Street in Memphis. After one officer got out of a patrol vehicle, a man drove his vehicle aggressively toward the officer and struck him.

The officer’s partner then fired at the vehicle and hit the driver. The vehicle continued from the immediate area and crashed into a bus stop. The driver was taken to a hospital in critical condition. TBI later identified him as Timothy Cook, born June 12, 1990, and announced on June 16, 2025, that he had died from his injuries. TBI said the injured officer had minor injuries.

TBI said its role is to investigate and provide findings to the Shelby County district attorney. It does not decide whether an officer’s actions were legally justified. This is the government’s preliminary account. The civil lawsuit can present a different version, and the family’s allegations remain allegations unless proven.

What Is Timothy Cook’s Family Alleging Against the City of Memphis and Two Officers?

The lawsuit challenges the circumstances of Cook’s shooting and death and seeks damages from the City of Memphis, the Memphis Police Department, Officer Timothy J. Davis and Officer Terrianus Hall. The docket classifies it as a civil rights case.

The exact claims and facts alleged in the original complaint were not available in the public federal docket at the time of writing. Those details should come from the complaint itself, not from the case classification.

General background, not a description of this complaint: Federal civil rights claims against police are often brought under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. To hold a city liable, plaintiffs generally have to show more than an officer’s misconduct. They must show that a city policy, custom or failure to train caused the constitutional violation. Individual officers can raise defenses such as qualified immunity. Whether any of that applies here depends on what the complaint alleges.

Why Is the Timothy Cook Lawsuit Against Memphis in Federal Court?

The case began in Shelby County Circuit Court. The City of Memphis and Memphis Police Department removed it to the Western District of Tennessee on September 23, 2026. The docket identifies federal-question jurisdiction. Federal courts commonly hear civil rights claims about alleged constitutional violations by government officials.

What Does the $35 Million Demand Mean in the Timothy Cook Lawsuit?

The $35 million is a damages demand. It is not:

• a settlement
• money already awarded to Cook’s family
• a fund available to claimants
• a guaranteed payment

The case could end in dismissal, a settlement, a ruling on motions, a jury verdict or another outcome. No result should be assumed from the demand alone.

Is the Timothy Cook Memphis Police Lawsuit a Class Action?

No. The case names specific plaintiffs and defendants, and the docket shows no proposed class or class-certification proceeding. It should not be described as a class action or putative class action.

Can Other Memphis Residents Join the Timothy Cook Lawsuit or File a Claim?

No. This is not a consumer settlement with a claims process. It concerns claims brought by the plaintiffs named in the case over Cook’s death. Other people cannot submit a claim form to share in the $35 million. Anyone with a separate claim from another police incident would generally need to pursue it on their own, subject to deadlines that apply to that claim.

What Happens Next in the Timothy Cook Federal Lawsuit Against Memphis?

The next stages in a case like this can include:

1. Service and responses. The defendants answer the complaint or file motions challenging the claims.
2. Discovery. Both sides exchange documents, records, testimony and other evidence.
3. Motions. Either side can ask the court to decide issues before trial, including summary judgment and qualified immunity.
4. Settlement talks. The parties can negotiate at any time. None has been announced.
5. Trial. If the case isn’t resolved earlier, remaining claims could go to a jury.

The actual schedule will come from later docket entries.

Timothy Cook Memphis Police Lawsuit Key Dates

Date	Event
June 13, 2025	Memphis police shooting involving Timothy Cook near Park Avenue and Grand Street, according to TBI
June 16, 2025	TBI announces Cook died from his injuries
2026	Civil lawsuit filed in Shelby County Circuit Court, Case No. CT-2873-26
September 23, 2026	City of Memphis and Memphis Police Department remove the case to federal court
September 23, 2026	Federal case opened as No. 2:26-cv-03259 in the Western District of Tennessee
Current	Active litigation; no settlement or claim process

Frequently Asked Questions About the Timothy Cook Memphis Police Lawsuit

How much money is Timothy Cook’s family seeking from the City of Memphis?

The lawsuit seeks $35 million in damages. That is the plaintiffs’ demand, not a judgment or settlement.

What is the Timothy Cook Memphis police case number?

The federal case is Fitzgerald et al. v. City of Memphis et al., No. 2:26-cv-03259, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee. The original Shelby County Circuit Court case number is CT-2873-26.

Who are the defendants in the Timothy Cook lawsuit?

The federal docket lists the City of Memphis, the Memphis Police Department, Officer Timothy J. Davis and Officer Terrianus Hall.

When did Timothy Cook die after the Memphis police shooting?

TBI reported that Cook died on June 16, 2025, three days after the June 13 shooting.

What does the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation say happened to Timothy Cook?

TBI’s preliminary account says Cook drove his vehicle aggressively toward and struck a Memphis police officer, and the officer’s partner then fired at the vehicle. Cook was hospitalized and later died. TBI said it would provide its findings to the district attorney.

Has a court ruled that Memphis police were liable for Timothy Cook’s death?

No ruling on liability has been identified. The lawsuit is active.

Is the Timothy Cook lawsuit a settlement?

No. It is a pending civil rights lawsuit with no verified settlement, fund or claim form.

Can people file a claim for the $35 million in the Timothy Cook lawsuit?

No. The $35 million is a damages demand in one lawsuit, not a public claims fund.

Bottom Line on the Timothy Cook $35 Million Memphis Police Lawsuit

The family of Timothy Cook, who died after being shot by a Memphis police officer in June 2025, has sued the City of Memphis, the Memphis Police Department and two officers for $35 million. The case is now in federal court as No. 2:26-cv-03259 after removal from Shelby County Circuit Court Case No. CT-2873-26. TBI’s preliminary account says Cook drove into a Memphis officer before the officer’s partner fired at him. The lawsuit reflects the plaintiffs’ allegations and demand, not a court finding that the defendants violated anyone’s rights. There is no claim form or deadline for the public.

Important: This article is general information, not legal advice. AllAboutLawyer.com is not a law firm. Allegations in a complaint are not findings of fact, and the case can change with later filings.

Sources

1. Fitzgerald et al. v. City of Memphis et al., No. 2:26-cv-03259, federal docket (Justia)
2. TBI Agents Investigating Memphis Officer-Involved Shooting (TBINewsroom.com, June 2025)
3. Shelby County Circuit Court, Case No. CT-2873-26 (identified in the federal notice of removal)

Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher and founder of AllAboutLawyer.com. All facts checked against the federal docket information for the Western District of Tennessee and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s public release, as of September 30, 2026. The Shelby County complaint itself was not reviewed. Last Updated: September 30, 2026.