Mentally ill, black pregnant woman shot and killed by police in Seattle
Officers who killed pregnant woman had been trained to deal with people showing signs of mental illness
News Desk |
June 21, 2017
Charleena Lyles, 30, the pregnant mother of four, was shot and killed by two Seattle police officers on Sunday morning in her apartment, reported
New York Times.
She had been suffering from mental illness, and the police were aware of that when she called them to report a burglary. Upon the police's arrival, she pulled out a knife, and the officers instantly shot her while three of her kids were inside the apartment.
According to the report, all Seattle officers receive training on how to better handle those showing signs of mental illness or drug abuse. One of the officers to have pulled the trigger on Lyles had even been certified as a crisis intervention specialist.
Officials have said that the officers involved could have chosen a less-lethal way to handle Lyles.
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Lyles' family have also questioned the police and relevant authorities asking why a less lethal option was not exercised especially considering the police was aware of her condition.
James Bible, an attorney representing relatives of Lyles, said Tuesday that “the officers knew she was vulnerable” when they went to her apartment.
“When we call police for help, we expect protection, we expect safety,” Bible said. “It was their responsibility to protect her and they didn’t.”
The mayor has called for an investigation to be launched into the shooting.
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Lyles had been the victim of serious mental health concerns, and attracted the police's attention of multiple incidents. The police reported that she had called 911 20 times before Sunday, and as a precautionary measure, an officer was even deployed on her address. An audio recording of the police officers talking before the encounter showed that they were aware of the cautious parameters around her. They also stated that Lyles had previously spoken about having large metal shears, and that in previous incidents prevented officers from leaving her apartment making "weird statements" about her and her daughter turning into wolves.
In 2006, the Bureau of Justice Statistics showed that 24 per cent of state prisoners reported a history of mental instability.