BATON ROUGE - The East Baton Rouge Metro Council voted Wednesday on a multi-million-dollar settlement for the family of a Black man shot and killed by a BRPD officer in 2016. 

The council voted 7-4 in favor of offering a $4.5 million settlement to the family of Alton Sterling, which filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city and BRPD. 

The talks Wednesday came after similar discussions fell through last year, including a $5 million settlement that fell short of the necessary votes. 

Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome posted the following statement to social media:

"I am pleased our metro council was able to find a consensus and approve an offer of settlement in the Alton Sterling civil case. After nearly five years, the people of Baton Rouge are finally one step closer to getting much needed closure in this traumatic episode in our history. Now we must continue the work of building a more fair and equitable community, where every citizen is treated justly, no matter their race or ethnicity."