A Black man who was paralyzed in a police-involved shooting during a traffic stop has announced he is running for Pittsburgh City Council, reports ABC News. Leon Ford said in a statement Thursday that he will run for the city’s District 9 seat. Ford says the campaign will focus on creating economic opportunities for residents and making neighborhoods safe. He plans to formally launch his campaign on Nov. 11. The seat is currently held by the by the Rev. Ricky Burgess. Ford was shot in 2012 when Pittsburgh Officers David Derbish and Andrew Miller stopped him. Derbish shot Ford five times.
Ford says officers thought he was a gang member with a similar name. Pittsburgh agreed earlier this year to pay Ford $5.5 million to resolve a federal lawsuit.
