A federal judge has ruled that an FBI agent was negligent in the fatal shooting of 47-year-old Ulises Valladares, bringing a long-awaited sense of closure to his family seven years after his death.
The shooting occurred in January 2018 when Valladares, along with his son, was kidnapped and held hostage in a northeast Houston home. The FBI was attempting to rescue the victim when Agent Gavin Lappe fatally shot Valladares.
READ MORE: Who was Ulises Valladares?
Lappe later claimed he mistook Valladares, who was tied up and blindfolded at the time, for one of the kidnappers. However, investigations showed that Valladares was unarmed and not close enough to the agent to pose a threat.
The judge’s ruling found that Agent Lappe acted with negligence, including gross negligence, in his response during the rescue attempt. As a result, Valladares’ family has been awarded nearly $2 million in damages.
Valladares’ son, Ulysses Valladares Jr., was just 12 years old when his father was killed. Reflecting on the years of pain and confusion, he shared, “After all this happened... my mom also passed away too when I was younger, so it really left me with nothing.”
While the family is relieved by the court’s decision, they express mixed emotions about the lengthy legal battle. Ulysses Valladares Jr. said, “The fact that it took so long and that they were in the obvious wrong... they couldn’t own up to it or say ‘I messed up.’”
The family now hopes the FBI will refrain from appealing the decision, avoiding further emotional distress. The FBI has not yet responded to requests for comment.
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