HOUSTON (AP) – Law enforcement and mental health experts say the April shooting death by Houston police of a man who was in the midst of a mental health crisis highlights the problems with having officers being the only ones who respond in such situations.
The experts said Friday that the officers need better training to deal with such situations, but mental health professionals also need to be part of the team that handles such incidents.
Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo announced Thursday that four officers involved in fatally shooting Nicolas Chavez on April 21 were fired for using unreasonable force. Officers fired 21 times at Chavez at the end of a 15-minute confrontation.
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