Abtan v. Blackwater
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Estate of Ali Hussamaldeen Albazzaz and Estate of Kadhum Kayiz Aziz v. Blackwater Lodge and Training Center, et al.
| Abtan v. Blackwater | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Court | United States District Court for the District of Columbia |
| Full case name | Estate of Himoud Saed Abtan, et al., Plaintiffs, v. Blackwater Lodge and Training Center, et al. Estate of Ali Hussamaldeen Albazzaz and Estate of Kadhum Kayiz Aziz v. Blackwater Lodge and Training Center, et al. |
| Decided | April 27, 2009 |
| Docket nos. | 1:07-cv-01831 |
| Citation | 611 F. Supp. 2d 1 |
| Court membership | |
| Judge sitting | Reggie Walton |
Atban v. Blackwater, 611 F. Supp. 2d 1 (D.D.C. 2009), was a lawsuit brought by the victims and families affected by the September 16, 2007 Blackwater Baghdad shootings against Blackwater Worldwide, a private military contractor since renamed Academi. The case was consolidated with Estate of Albazzaz, et al. v. Blackwater Lodge and Training Center, Inc. et al.,[1] and the consolidated case was ultimately settled confidentially out of court.[2]
The September 16 Blackwater Baghdad shootings was an unprovoked[3] attack on Iraqi civilians by a number of heavily armed Blackwater personnel, including two Blackwater helicopters. According to numerous conflicting reports, the shooting started after a small car had mistakenly failed to comply with an Iraqi police officer's call to stop, the Blackwater guards then fired on the car, possibly believing it to be a suicide bomber. However, a conflicting report filed by Blackwater,[4] the security guards, who were at the time guarding a US State Department convoy, had been fired on first and responded with measured, small arms fire directed specifically at those who had attacked them.