No more deaths of people with autism at the hands of the police! 

The recent tragic death of 17-year-old Victor Perez in Pocatello, Idaho, underscores the urgent need for reform in how law enforcement handles mental health crises.

Victor, a nonverbal autistic teen with cerebral palsy, was fatally shot by police responding to a 911 call. Body camera footage reveals officers arriving at his home, where Victor stood in a fenced yard holding a knife. Despite his disabilities, they issued commands and opened fire within seconds, shooting him from behind a chain-link fence as he slowly approached. Victor died a week later after being removed from life support.

This incident is not isolated.

In March 2024, 15-year-old Ryan Gainer, another autistic teen, was shot and killed by deputies in California during a mental health episode. His family had called 911 for assistance, but within seconds of arrival, deputies shot Ryan, who was holding a gardening tool. His family disputes that the tool posed a threat.

Eric Parsa, 16, was killed when sheriff’s deputies in Louisiana, responding to the teen’s mental crisis at a shopping center, pinned him down for nine minutes in 2020.  

These tragedies highlight a systemic issue: police officers, often lacking specialized training, are frequently the first responders to mental health emergencies.

This approach clearly leads to tragic use of force, especially when dealing with individuals with autism or other mental health conditions.

We call upon federal, state, and local governments to implement policies requiring that 911 calls involving individuals in mental distress are responded to by specially trained mental health crisis teams who can deal with people in distress.  

By adopting these measures, we can stop deaths.

We can create a more compassionate and effective response system that prioritizes the safety and well-being of individuals experiencing mental health crises.