On March 1, a young man named Alex LaMorie was fatally shot by police. He was autistic. According to the Washington Post, he was in the midst of a suicidal crisis, and he knew what to do. He followed his wellness plan and called the police for help. Bodycam footage has not been released, but apparently he came toward the officers with a knife, and three of them shot him.

Calls for help should never be met with lethal force. I’m talking next week on the podcast (subscribe where you get your podcasts so you don’t miss it) with Emily Longino, a behavior analyst who serves in a residential facility for teenagers and adults with severe maladaptive behaviors, including violence. Her training has equipped her to deescalate violence and communicate with individuals in distress. Better training and a different mindset toward disability and mental health is crucial for the welfare of some of the most vulnerable people within our population.

No one wants this tragedy. Every parent of a child with a disability or mental health condition fears this scenario. There must be a better way.

SUBSCRIBE to my Substack newsletter: amyjuliabecker.substack.com

JOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabecker

LISTEN to my podcasts: amyjuliabecker.com/shows/

CONNECT on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTube