Lawsuit alleges man died after Issaquah police broke his neck

An Issaquah family is suing the Issaquah Police Department for using excessive force.

Lawyers say a 66-year-old man, who only spoke Chinese, died after Issaquah police handcuffed him and broke his neck.

Police went to Wang Shen Leng’s home in August after a neighbor called in a noise complaint. Police reports indicate they thought it was a possible domestic violence call.

Leng was living with his wife, who also does not speak English. He was diagnosed with a Alzheimer’s a few of years ago – something officers didn’t know when they responded. The report says Leng was “waving his arms and yelling” in the home, and officers moved to cuff him.

“The police proceeded to come in, to separate the two, and to force Mr. Leng down onto the couch–pushing on his neck in such a way that it ended up breaking his neck,” said Harry Williams, an attorney for Leng’s family.

Leng died about a month later.

The police report said Leng “went limp” and officers called for medical aid.

“A healthy person, who that morning had walked to the Issaquah Community Center,” Williams said. “And after an interaction with police, someone who was never conscious again and died a month later,” he said.

Now the Issaquah Police Department and the city of Issaquah are getting sued for excessive force.

His wife of 30 years didn’t want to be on camera, but told KIRO 7 TV that they took walks every day, she would cook for him, and they were happy together.

A neighbor of Leng, Jim Lemming, said he called 911.

Written by Deedee Sun