The family of Ezell Ford, the unarmed black man with special needs who was shot and killed by officers with the LAPD on Monday, is planning to take legal action against the Los Angeles Police Department immediately, according to their attorney.

Attorney Steven Lerman appeared on MSNBC on Monday to say that he would "immediately" be filing a federal civil rights lawsuit against the LAPD in Ezell's case.

"Justice will come to this family in federal court, not on TV," he said.

Lerman also confirmed reports that Ezell was unarmed at the time of the shooting, which has been reported a number of times since his death.

"No, no, no, no. He was not armed," Lerman said. "He was mentally challenged. This is not the person that's lurking behind a corner with a gun. He's not a gangbanger. Walking down a city street, a citizen of Los Angeles, walking down a city street unarmed at 8:00 on a Monday night."

"I can't think of more innocent circumstances. But to be set upon by these officers who absolutely lost control and went to deadly force. This young man, what kind of fight could he have put up. Really, this is as sickening as it is sad," continued the attorney.

The 25-year-old man was stopped by officers Monday, and was shot and killed by LAPD officers during the "investigative stop." According to his family, Ford was complying with police and also lying on the ground, unarmed, when officers opened fire.

A news release by the Los Angeles Police Department says that the shooting occurred after officers conducted an investigative stop in the Newton Area of Los Angeles at around 8:30 p.m. Monday.

According to the LAPD, after Ezell was stopped, a struggle occurred, and the 25-year-old man, who is black, was shot three times.

Ezell was then transported to a nearby hospital, where he died from injuries related to the incident.

"During the stop a struggle ensued, which resulted in an officer-involved-shooting," the release says. "The suspect was transported to a local hospital and after lifesaving efforts he succumbed to his injuries."

Ford's family has stated that he suffered from a form of mental illness.

An eyewitness told The Huffington Post that he heard an officer yelling "shoot him" in the moments before Ford was shot three times.

According to the HuffPo, Leroy Hill said he was an eyewitness to the shooting Monday night, and confirmed that he heard three shots.

"He wasn't a gang banger at all," Hill said. "I was sitting across the street when it happened. So as he was walking down the street, the police approached him, whatever was said I couldn't hear it, but the cops jumped out of the car and rushed him over here into this corner. They had him in the corner and were beating him, busted him up, for what reason I don't know he didn't do nothing. The next thing I know I hear a 'pow!' while he's on the ground. They got the knee on him. And then I hear another 'pow!' No hesitation. And then I hear another 'pow!' Three times."