On Sunday, January 12, 2025, my son Jose Evans was tragically killed. He wasn't a criminal or a threat to society. An innocent life was extinguished by a police officer's gunshot wound to his back. However, Jose was struggling with mental health issues that were not properly addressed, due to lack of resources and understanding.

Mental health is a deeply significant issue that affects countless lives, with 1 in 5 American adults facing mental health struggles annually according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Tragically, these individuals are often misunderstood and face undue violence. Data from the Washington Post suggests that 22% of those killed by police officers in 2020 were individuals with a known mental illness.

It's a crisis that we can and must do more to address. We must bolster our mental health resources to ensure that individuals dealing with these issues receive the help they need. This requires increased funding for mental health programs and resources, as well as improved training for police officers to better respond to individuals who may be experiencing a mental health crisis without resorting to unjustified violence.

In memory of Jose Evans and all others who have been unjustifiably slain, let's make a concerted effort to ensure their deaths were not in vain. Sign this petition to ask for better funding for mental health resources and training for our law enforcement.