Can a state actor be held liable for civil rights violations committed against plaintiff pursuant to the Civil Rights Act?

Additionally, only state actors may be liable for constitutional violations committed against plaintiff pursuant to the Civil Rights Act. See 42 U.S.C. 1983. Thus, "[t]o state a claim under 1983, a plaintiff must allege the violation of a right secured by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, and must show that the alleged deprivation was committed by a person acting under color of state law." West v. Atkins, 487 U.S. 42, 48 (1988) (emphasis added). Individuals who commit criminal acts in the community at large are not state actors within the meaning of the statute and thus cannot be named as defendants in this action.

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