Family claims Los Angeles police officer beaten to death during mob training exercise

The family of a fallen Los Angeles police officer is suing the city's police department on a wrongful death claim after the officer died during an alleged mob training exercise last month. 

Shirley Huffman filed a notice of claim with the city of Los Angeles this week signaling her intent to sue the city over her son's death in May. 

LAPD Chief of Police Michel Moore said in late May that Officer Houston Tipping "passed away following a tragic on-duty accident that occurred during a training exercise at [LAPD's] Elysian Park Academy" earlier that month. 

"At the time of the accident Officer Tipping was a bike instructor engaged in a training scenario involving grappling with another officer," Moore said. "During the scenario Officer Tipping fell to the floor and suffered a catastrophic spinal cord injury."

Yet Huffman alleges that Tipping during the exercise was "repeatedly struck in the head severely enough that he bled," and that the training exercise during which he was injured had already come under question for purportedly injuring other officers. 

The LAPD is reportedly also investigating the incident. 

Tipping had been with the LAPD for five years.