Wording here: "mentally ill". Synonyms for this particular situation and others involving the "mentally ill" similar: "threatening", "violent", "weapon-yielding", "uncooperative", "agitated", "dangerous". Similar words are used to describe those who mindlessly murder un-armed individuals in public places...those people are also described as "mentally ill". However you describe a "mentally ill" individual, each situation is unique. Sure, this man hadn't murdered his neighbors...yet. And a crisis worker who is trained to deal with situations like these couldn't handle this man and clearly felt that this situation had escalated over their head to the point where police intervention was necessary, FOR THE SAFETY of the man and his neighbors/the public. As an EMS provider, I absolutely stand with VSP/BPD or any other police department in this state and truly feel that they are here to PROTECT. Nobody wanted this man to be harmed, but when a situation escalates and the public's lives become in danger, some "force" is necessary.
It's important to remember that none of us were in the building. You can say "they should've waited it out", but from what I understand, they entered was because they feared for the man's own safety, and it was a judgement call, a call that police are trained to make. Police wake up every day prepared to have guns/knives/etc pointed at them. Do you prepare to handle confrontations like these each day on your peaceful Vermont drive to work? If not, you don't have the expertise to say what Shoulda/Woulda/Coulda been done here.
Re: “Burlington Police Shoot and Kill Mentally Ill Man”
Wording here: "mentally ill". Synonyms for this particular situation and others involving the "mentally ill" similar: "threatening", "violent", "weapon-yielding", "uncooperative", "agitated", "dangerous". Similar words are used to describe those who mindlessly murder un-armed individuals in public places...those people are also described as "mentally ill". However you describe a "mentally ill" individual, each situation is unique. Sure, this man hadn't murdered his neighbors...yet. And a crisis worker who is trained to deal with situations like these couldn't handle this man and clearly felt that this situation had escalated over their head to the point where police intervention was necessary, FOR THE SAFETY of the man and his neighbors/the public. As an EMS provider, I absolutely stand with VSP/BPD or any other police department in this state and truly feel that they are here to PROTECT. Nobody wanted this man to be harmed, but when a situation escalates and the public's lives become in danger, some "force" is necessary.
It's important to remember that none of us were in the building. You can say "they should've waited it out", but from what I understand, they entered was because they feared for the man's own safety, and it was a judgement call, a call that police are trained to make. Police wake up every day prepared to have guns/knives/etc pointed at them. Do you prepare to handle confrontations like these each day on your peaceful Vermont drive to work? If not, you don't have the expertise to say what Shoulda/Woulda/Coulda been done here.