HOUSTON, Texas. (June 3, 2025) – Nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorneys, Ben Crump and Devon Jacob, have filed a federal civil rights lawsuit on behalf of Eboni Pouncy, a Black woman who was shot five times by Harris County Sheriff’s Deputies while she was lawfully inside her friend’s apartment.
The lawsuit alleges that on Feb. 3, 2024, at around 2:30 in the morning, Pouncy was asleep in a rear bedroom of her friend’s apartment. Unbeknownst to Pouncy or her friend, neighbors had called the police to report a possible break-in. Deputies knocked on the front door and announced themselves a single time. They then took cover outside without announcing themselves again and without issuing orders to anyone who might be inside the apartment to show themselves. Pouncy only heard the knocking and walked toward the front of the apartment to investigate while holding a legally owned firearm for her personal safety. Pouncy exercised safe and proper gun handling, holding the gun at her side and pointed at the floor. Without warning Pouncy that they would shoot her if she did not drop the firearm, deputies opened fire through the wall and windows, striking Pouncy five times.
“What happened to Eboni Pouncy is a horrifying example of the dangers Black Americans face when interacting with law enforcement,” said Attorney Ben Crump. “Eboni was lawfully inside her friend’s apartment, posed no threat, and never had the chance to understand what was happening before she was shot five times by deputies. We must hold these deputies and the department that empowered them accountable.”
Pouncy suffered serious and permanent injuries, including nerve damage, drop foot, and lasting trauma. The suit alleges violations of her Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment constitutional rights and includes claims against Harris County for implementing policies and training that did not comport with industry and constitutional standards.
“This is not just about two deputies, it’s about a department that trained them to respond with violence instead of restraint,” said Attorney Devon Jacob. “We are seeking justice not only for Eboni but to change the dangerous practices that put lives at risk every day.”
Pouncy is receiving ongoing treatment for her physical injuries and the psychological trauma inflicted by the shooting.
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ABOUT BEN CRUMP LAW
Through his work, nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump has spearheaded a legal movement to better protect the rights of marginalized citizens. He has led landscape-changing civil rights cases and represented clients in a wide range of areas including civil rights, personal injury, labor and employment, class actions, and more. Ben Crump Law is dedicated to holding the powerful accountable. For more information, visit bencrump.com.
ABOUT JACOB LITIGATION
Jacob Litigation is a national civil rights law firm serving persons who have experienced police brutality, and the estates of persons who have been unlawfully killed by law enforcement personnel. Jacob Litigation is owned and operated by Attorney Devon M. Jacob, who is a former police officer and a former Pennsylvania Deputy Attorney General. For more information, visit jacoblitigation.com.
