Black Lives Matter (BLM) has released an official statement as California deputies face mountains of heat after fatally shooting a 15-year-old boy who was running toward them with a gardening tool. It was later revealed by the family that the boy had autism.
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According to multiple reports, family members called 911 around 5 p.m. last Saturday (March 9) to report that a 15-year-old boy named Ryan Gainer was “actively assaulting family members and damaging property at the residence” in Apple Valley. It’s reported that the teen’s sister made the call to police and can be heard telling the emergency dispatch operator that her 15-year-old brother was committing “assault and batter” and that he was banging on the door to the room she was trying to remain calm and get help. The call lasted for more than five minutes.
When the first responding San Bernardino County Deputy responded to the domestic disturbance in the 13400 block of Iroquois Road things only got worse. Body camera footage has since been released showing the tragic and tense moments, which only last about seven seconds.
As the deputy approached the home’s front door, they repeatedly asked, “Where’s he at?” Gainer then walks into the doorway of the home wielding, what authorities say was a 5-foot-long garden tool with a sharp-bladed end. The deputy can then be heard shouting, “Hey! Get back! You’re going to get shot!”
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A press release from the incident said, “Without provocation, Gainer raised the bladed end of the tool and ran toward the deputy. The deputy retreated, and Gainer chased the deputy in an attempt to assault him with the bladed end of the tool.” Following the chase, this is when authorities say a second deputy fatally shot the California boy with autism. After shots were fired, the deputies, whose names are still publicly unknown, quickly began giving Gainer medical aid before the paramedics arrived. The teen was taken to a hospital where he later died.
After the incident, it was then learned that the teen boy suffered from autism. The family’s attorney, civil rights lawyer DeWitt M. Lacy, has since told the media that the boy was having an episode at the time of his being shot and killed. Authorities have yet to confirm that they were aware of the teen’s mental illness. The family’s attorney said, “The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department is not telling the whole truth. These officers should be investigated and probably prosecuted for the murder of Ryan Gainer.”
In a statement about the fatal shooting, San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus said, “Our social safety net for those experiencing mental illness needs to be strengthened. Our deputies handle seemingly insurmountable calls daily. Most of these calls do not end in violence. However, this one ended in tragedy for Ryan, his family, and for the deputies who responded. Rapidly evolving, violent encounters are some of the most difficult, requiring split-second decisions. While these decisions are lawful, they are awful in terms of our humanity. I feel for both Ryan’s family and my deputies who will struggle with this for their entire lives.”
Despite their statement, many are criticizing the deputy who shot the California boy with autism, calling it unnecessary and excessive force, while others consider it a justified response. Of those condemning the deputy is Black Lives Matter (BLM), who has since released an official statement on the issue.
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Shalomyah Bowers, a leader of Black Lives Matter, said, “Ryan’s future was stolen from him. He deserved a system that recognized his humanity and offered support, not one that ended his life. He was a cross-country runner and aspired to be an engineer. His dreams and aspirations should have been nurtured, not violently taken away. The murder of a 15-year-old autistic Black boy experiencing a crisis is enraging and is yet another example of a rotten system that must be dismantled. Black people with disabilities face compounded vulnerabilities when interacting with the police. There continues to be a consistent failure of our current public safety model to protect Black lives and communities. We are tired of mental health crises becoming death sentences. We deserve a system that prioritizes holistic, health-centered, community-driven approaches to advance true public safety. We continue to be devastated by a system that prioritizes death, harm, and criminalization.”
The statement continued, “Black Lives Matter stands in solidarity with the Gainer family as they seek accountability and uplift their demands: 1) The Sheriff Deputies involved in Ryan Gainer’s murder be terminated immediately and held accountable for their actions; and 2) the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department must immediately release all information regarding Ryan Gainer, including body camera footage, 911 calls, and any other relevant documentation to the public. Black Lives Matter urges the public to take action: Call the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department and demand accountability for the extrajudicial killing of Ryan Gainer.”
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