Widow of former Little Rock airport executive sues ATF for wrongful death over 2024 raid

The widow of former Little Rock airport executive Bryan Malinowski, who was killed in a raid last year, sued the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) on Thursday for the wrongful death of her husband.

Federal agents executed a search warrant of Malinowski's home in March of 2024, over allegations that he was selling firearms without the proper licenses—some of which were reportedly used in crimes—and for misrepresenting his purpose on purchase forms.

Attorneys for Maria "Maer" Malinowski filed the lawsuit on their client's behalf in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, which names the bureau and 10 of its agents as defendants. 

The lawsuit accuses the agents and bureau of choosing the "most aggressive tactics available to serve a routine search warrant
on the Malinowski home," according to a news release, even though the tactics were not justified. The agents allegedly violated the couple's constitutional rights, and violated several state torts. 

"Bryan Malinowski’s death was needless and a direct result of the unreasonable and unconstitutional conduct of the ATF agents," the complaint said. 

The lawsuit brings 13 claims against the ATF and federal agents, including failure to Knock & Announce, Unlawful Entry, Use of Deadly Force, and Illegal Detention of Maer Malinowski, and is seeking both compensatory and punitive damages.

“Today’s lawsuit seeks justice for the nightmare I’ve been living for the last 14 months,” Maer Malinowski said. “Bryan believed the men who broke into our home were intruders, and he took a bullet to the forehead and ultimately gave his life defending me and our home from people he thought were trying to harm us. While nothing can bring back my husband of 25 years, today’s filing seeks to hold the federal government accountable for what they violently and wrongfully took from me on March 19, 2024."

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.