Cops shot and killed man after his father requested a mental health check

Just a terrible outcome for everyone. I agree, I probably would have done it different but I cant condemn their decision based on the limited facts.

a reply to: mpol0717

Yes it really sucks for everyone including the cops I'm sure. Any decent human I imagine feels a certain way after taking a life... even if in self defense.

The best thing that can come from this is a closer look on proticol for similar events. Maybe this man's death will prevent others from happening in the future.

a reply to: seaswine

That's just terrible. So, if in a situation like this, deal with it yourself and don't even think about calling cops, because apparently nobody is trained on dealing with rocks and knives and so on. It's like kryptonite for every officer and nobody knows how to deal with it.

If that is the case, and it seems to be, then it's best just to not call the cops.

But then why pay for them if you can't rely on them?

a reply to: Shamrock6

My agency has a specially trained unit that trains other officers, who volunteer for it, in how to recognize and try to deal with mental health issues and get people the help they need.

Good to hear efforts being made

a reply to: Shamrock6

Aren't you tired of this poor excuse?

How do unarmed police deal with mental health suspects?

"To serve and protect...under certain circumstances? "

Those policemen quite possibly approach with fear and defensively with a hand on the trigger...

The solution was chosen before the problem was assessed.


Plus... black Male with mental health issues + police = death sentence ...

a reply to: seaswine

I'd feel better with the 'State Police" looking into this, any "State Police" has no respect for "Local Police"...And with that man having mental issues why shoot him when all he pulled was a knife, simple training will teach you how to disarm someone in that situation...or use a taser...WTF?

a reply to: seaswine

Trying to serve a mental health warrant, sounds so benign


www.centredaily.com...

Officers had been trying to serve a mental health warrant on the State College man — who was not named by police — about 1:45 p.m. when it happened, he said. Gardner described the resident as a 29-year-old African-American. No one else was injured, he said, although authorities released few other details about the incident.


Members of the Pennsylvania state police, Centre County district attorney’s office and coroner’s office immediately responded to the scene, Gardner sa

State Police, DA's etc attended. hmmmm...

All backs are covered. Move along ...it will be investigated in due course by the Police.

I blame the father. Everyone knows that cops are blunt instruments who just go into a situation and make it stop with minimal risk to themselves. Can't really blame them for that. I have seen news stories where cops were called into situations that started out pretty "routine" (as routine as it gets for cops, I guess) and they had no real reason to think they were in any unusual danger and the situation ended with one or more dead cops and a dead civilian or two.

My guess is the guy was suicidal and was in no way threatening anyone else until the idiot father called the cops and backed him (and the cops) into a corner.

a reply to: seaswine

I think it all depends on what exactly was said during that 911 call. If the father was explitive enough in stating that his son had psychological problems, was off his meds and so on, then the blame is on either the 911 worker who didn't communicate clearly enough when they relayed the message, or on the police officers, or on both.

If the father wasn't clear enough in his explanation, then less blame falls on the professionals. They were still very unprofessional though, having to kill a man dead in a 3 guns vs 1 knife situation.

Or it could've been a very bad day at the office, unlucky situations happen. I do not know how the neighbourhood where this happens is at crime-wise, so variations in approaching the situation might be applicable.

originally posted by: DanDanDat
Why call the police to do a "mental health check"? They are not doctors or in any other way qualified or equipped to deal with anyones mental health. When is society going to stop relying on them for this type of work?

Who else are you going to call but the only trained and government certified people to deal with dangerous situations in the general public area. For all we know the father is an old man and cannot physically compete with his son, has no family members he can turn to, no neighbours who are willing to help, etc. etc. There was a knife in play, although we do not know if the father was aware of this fact.

There are plenty of situations where it is warranted to call the emergency number if you want to stay within the confines of the law and not go to jail yourself, where you are even less help to the one you were trying to help in the first place.

I agree though if none of those are applicable. Deal with these things yourselves if you have the means and backup to do so.

a reply to: odzeandennz

You seem to have chosen to interpret my comment as a defense of the shooting, and it’s not.

It’s a simple statement of fact. Sending untrained people into any situation isn’t a great way to guarantee a successful resolution. I do hope you feel a little better after you got to rant though.

originally posted by: seaswine
a reply to: mpol0717

Which is exactly why I said 2 tasers and one firearm. If he starts lunging and the tasers don't drop him, third guy opens fire.

Not to mention, they should've had a mental health professional on scene before breaching the guys apartment.

I guess I am kind of confused on why they breached his apartment knowing he had a knife?
I mean, would you barge into an apartment on person with mental problems holding a knife?
Why not setup outside the door and communicate with him?

I think the outcome is obvious the way they did it.

originally posted by: vonclod
a reply to: seaswine

And that is truly the problem, the police are not mental health professionals..do not ever call the police when it comes to this..or many other things.

They have no tools to deal with this.

Who do you call for mental health professionals and wouldnt they just call the police?

originally posted by: mpol0717
I'm assuming this took place indoors. Try and imagine how long it takes you to lunge from one side of the room to the other. At the same time think how long it would take your mind to process what'shappening, make a decision, draw a weapon, and execute your decision...all before getting stabbed.

I've done a lot of knife training and within 21 feet, even when you know what is going to happen, you still get stabbed. Everytime. Knives are nothing you want to mess with.

This is true, but who placed themselves within 21 feet of the guy with a knife?
They came to the guy, he did not come to them. They had the upperhand, time and distance on how to approach this. What is the goal? If it was to kill him they succeeded. If it was to bring him in they failed.

originally posted by: Shamrock6
a reply to: odzeandennz

You seem to have chosen to interpret my comment as a defense of the shooting, and it’s not.

It’s a simple statement of fact. Sending untrained people into any situation isn’t a great way to guarantee a successful resolution. I do hope you feel a little better after you got to rant though.

I agree with this as well, we need more trained professionals to deal with this, but unfortunately our country is going the opposite direction where it is every man for himself and any increase in government spending where noone profits is met with outrage.

If a private company was formed with professionals to deal with this and answerable to shareholders and subsidized by the tax payers, then we could see this change.

It is cheaper to just kill them.

a reply to: jacobe001

Damned if they do, damned if they dont.

Lets say he kills himself with the knife while waiting outside. "OmG where were the police????? Just waiting outside doing nothing!!!"

a reply to: jacobe001

If he was under treatment, I might first call the doctor, friends, go there myself, see if I could get him to go in. But ya..who do you call. I just know calling the police would be the last thing I would do..too many examples of it going very tragically wrong.