Shreveport business owner sues city, police over alleged property loss from towed car

A Shreveport business owner has sued the City of Shreveport, the Shreveport Police Department and three officers over alleged property loss from a vehicle that was repossessed and towed in the city.

Katherine Kennedy, owner of New Era Lashes and More, alleges that her vehicle was repossessed and towed in Shreveport on or about Aug. 26, 2025, with business inventory and personal property inside. A July 17, 2026, report by KSLA said the lawsuit places the claimed value of that property at more than $50,000.

What the lawsuit alleges

The defendants named in the lawsuit are the City of Shreveport, the Shreveport Police Department, Officer Kourtney Jackson, Corporal Shanora Gipson Ross and Corporal Tarogie Jones.

According to KSLA’s account of the lawsuit, Kennedy alleges that property was taken from the vehicle during or shortly after the repossession. The reported items included designer clothing, jewelry and merchandise associated with New Era Lashes and More.

KSLA also reported that the lawsuit alleges the officers intentionally took the property for personal gain and that some items were later returned. Those allegations have not been established by a court. Arrests or criminal charges likewise do not determine civil liability.

Damages requested

Kennedy is seeking compensation for alleged merchandise and personal-property losses, emotional distress, investigative costs, attorney’s fees and other damages. KSLA reported that the lawsuit seeks $100,000 for pain and suffering, $100,000 for mental anguish and $150,000 in punitive damages.

Those figures are reported lawsuit demands, not amounts awarded by a court. The accessible research materials did not include an official petition that could be reviewed to confirm the lawsuit’s complete legal claims, damages calculation or filing date.

What Shreveport police previously said

In a statement issued Sept. 5, 2025, the Shreveport Police Department said it opened criminal and administrative investigations after learning about an incident involving an officer returning items to a local store. Chief Wayne Smith placed three officers on administrative leave while the investigations proceeded.

The department said Officer Kourtney Jackson, Corporal Shanora Gipson Ross and Corporal Tarogie Jones were arrested and charged with theft and malfeasance in office. SPD said the officers had originally been called to a local casino by a vehicle-recovery agency and that the criminal allegations involved items taken from inside the vehicle.

SPD said some items were recovered and returned, while other property was found in the department’s property room. The statement did not establish the ownership, complete inventory or final disposition of every item described in the civil lawsuit.

What is not yet clear

The available sources reviewed for this article do not establish whether the civil defendants have filed answers, whether the case has been dismissed or settled, or whether there has been a later ruling. They also do not establish the final status of the criminal charges.

For Shreveport residents and local business owners, the case raises accountability questions about how personal property is handled during vehicle-recovery calls involving police. The next useful public developments will be official court filings, docket activity and any disposition of the civil or criminal proceedings.

Until a court rules, Kennedy’s allegations remain allegations, and the available record does not establish liability by the city, police department or individual officers.

Sources

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