LETTER: Why are taxpayers on the hook in death?

I recently read a Review-Journal article about the unfortunate death of a young family member at the hands of a criminal fleeing police. According to your Jan. 31 report, the Clark County School District Police were chasing a teen driver, who hit and struck another vehicle, killing the other driver. The story said that the family of the dead young man was suing the school district and the school police but not the person or family of the driver who caused the death.

Every one of us feels for the family of the person who was killed. But I do not feel that I should be financially responsible for this tragedy.

The school district and the school police have no money. We, through our taxes, are the ones being sued. Maybe the persons responsible for these crimes should be the ones penalized and sued. Or are they not held responsible because suing public institutions is a no-brainer because they always settle with our money?