A 25-year-old autistic man was shot dead by police in the United States after he called 911 during a suicidal crisis, seeking assistance and a wellness check, authorities said. According to officials, the man had recently moved into a housing community in the United States’s Maryland designed for people with disabilities.
The man identified as Alex LaMorie had moved into Patuxent Commons, a housing community designed for people with autism and other disabilities, just three days before the incident.
His family said he had a safety plan that advised him to contact police for a wellness check if he faced a mental health crisis. His mother had also notified authorities that he was autistic and vulnerable to self-harm.
The incident happened on February 28, when LaMorie called his mother to say he was in crisis and had contacted police, as outlined in his safety plan, The Washington Post reported.
When police officers arrived at the apartment complex in Columbia shortly after midnight, they initially searched the building but were unable to find him. As they were leaving, LaMorie was seen walking toward them from a parking lot while holding a knife, officials said.
Police added that officers repeatedly ordered him to drop the weapon, but he continued moving toward them, prompting three officers to open fire and fatally shoot him.
The officers involved, identified as Joel Rodriguez, Cody Bostic and Joseph Riebau — have been placed on administrative leave. The attorney general’s office said body camera footage from the incident may be released within 20 days as the investigation continues.
Before calling his mother to say he was in crisis, LaMorie sent his mother an inspirational text message that read: “Life is too short to be mad at everyone, so I’m nice to almost everyone instead."
LaMorie’s friends and family said he was excited about moving to Patuxent Commons, which brought him closer to his mother and stepfather.
LaMorie was known in the autism community for his advocacy and support work. He appeared on podcasts and served on the advisory board of the Autism & Grief Project, where he shared his experiences to help others. In one video, he said that techniques often used to support “regular people" do not “always work with autistic people who are grieving."
Source: World News in news18.com, World Latest News, World News
