One question is why the police were called at all. Why weren't there plans to control this child knowing his history? What role did psychiatry play in previous encounters? How effective was the psychiatric diagnosis? What is the connection between the alleged violence and the mental illnesses of the diagnosis? Police are likely to shoot dead any person they fear who refuses to obey their commands. They seldom make any distinction between persons with disabilities and other persons. Feeling threatened does not make distinctions. Unmentioned is the role of any psychiatric drugs this teen may have been ingesting. They do have a causal connection to violence.
[From article]
"Gilmore said police had been called to the home 10 times since 2010 to deal with the boy.
[boy's uncle said] “They could have tased him, like they did him before, took him to the hospital and he would have been fine
[. . .]
Gilmore said a stun gun wasn’t used because the lead officer did not have a stun gun.
Five officers responded to the Watts home after Stephon’s father called police, according to Gilmore. Two entered the house, heading to the basement where they found Stephon. One of those two officers did have a stun gun with him.
[. . .]
Gilmore said a year ago, all of the officers in the department went through a three-day autism awareness program to learn how to handle calls involving people with autism."
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/02/01/boy-15-shot-dead-by-police-in-calumet-city/
Family Furious After Calumet City Police Shoot, Kill Boy With Autism
February 1, 2012 11:21 AM
CBS News Chicago IL
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