Ryan Gainer, a teen with autism, was a cross-country runner who worked out his frustrations with six-mile runs and dreamed of becoming an engineer.

On Saturday afternoon, the 15-year-old became upset that his parents had demanded he complete his household chores before he would be allowed to play video games or listen to music on his computer, according to DeWitt Lacy, a civil rights attorney representing Ryan’s family.

“He got upset. Any teen would be upset by that,” Lacy said. Some people with autism experience more heightened emotions and on that day Ryan responded by breaking glass on the front door, Lacy said.

A family member called 911 for help, asking dispatch to send deputies to “take him in” because he was breaking glass and hitting his sister, according to a portion of the call released by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.

But instead a responding deputy fatally shot the teen, saying he had threatened the deputy with a garden tool.

  • BeMoreCareful@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    0
    ·
    8 months ago

    This headline happens so frequently that I was confused at first and thought it was from a couple of years ago.

    Why would you call the cops on someone you care about? How often would a armed person that can kill with impunity help a situation?

    • Today@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      0
      ·
      8 months ago

      Defund the police was an unpopular slogan. ‘Redistribute some police funding to social services, education, mental health, and unarmed crisis interventions’ doesn’t fit on a T-shirt. When faced with a dangerous family situation, there’s no one else to call for help.

      • Deceptichum@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        0
        ·
        8 months ago

        Defund the police was unpopular because the rightwing weaponised it and made it so.

        Any phrase you use will be made unpopular, even something as basic, positive, and explanatory as “walkable cities”.

        The issue isn’t the phrase you use, it’s not defending them well enough from malicious actors.

    • kaboom36@ani.social
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      0
      ·
      8 months ago

      This happened a few years ago with a different teen IIRC, so I was equally confused until I saw the picture