On April 3, 2016, Melissa Boarts, a beloved mother of a 2-year-old, was shot and killed by Auburn police. Melissa was bipolar and having an episode. Her mother, Terry, feared Melissa might hurt herself, so she called the police for help. Terry told the police her daughter was bipolar and explained the state she was in. But instead of helping to diffuse the situation, the police killed Melissa.

Melissa was carrying a closed pocket knife, and the police are using that as justification for shooting her. We believe the police officers involved should have been able to handle the situation without using deadly force. The incident was recorded on police body cameras and on a police dash cam -- and the only way the public and family will know the truth is if all the footage is released.  There is 6 minutes of body cam footage missing that would show what happened.

Melissa was sweet, kind, and loved greatly by those who knew her. Yes, she struggled with mental health, but she worked hard to control it. Our family was always by her side to help when the going got rough. Now, Melissa is gone and her daughter doesn’t have a mother. We deserve answers.

Please sign this petition to help our family get the video footage released.