_____
Sprankle's tragedy proves that gun control is unlikely to protect Americans from avoidable mental health crises. Only removing barriers to timely psychiatric treatment, improving access to mental hospitals, and instituting assisted outpatient treatment (AOT) programs can address Americans' mental health needs and enhance community safety. See the ABC video about Sprankle below.
Was shoot-to-kill an appropriate response by police? Would Sprankle have been temporarily disabled by Taser? Should police be equipped with guns loaded with fast-acting tranquilizers for circumstances such as this? Could Sprankle have been taken into custody by specially trained police officers? Homicides by police involve mentally ill victims in at least 50% of the cases, according to Treatment Advocacy Center - "Justifiable" Homicides by Law Enforcement Officers
http://www.tacreports.org/justifiable-homicides
Kenneth Sprankle was the fourth person shot to death by St. Pete PD this year, according to an ABC report.
"This will happen again and again and again until we find enough places where people can take their neighbors and relatives that may not need to be hospitalized," St. Pete City Councilman Karl Nurse said.
Councilman Nurse is not unlike police officers this writer polled, 100% of whom agreed that mentally ill people do not belong in prisons and jails.
______
References re Kenneth Sprankle:
ABC
http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_south_pinellas/st_petersburg/st-pete-police-officer-involved-fatal-shootings---4-out-of-6-suspects-with-mental-health-issues
Tampa Bay Times
http://goo.gl/QQDrRT
ABC
http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_south_pinellas/st_petersburg/st-pete-police-officer-involved-fatal-shootings---4-out-of-6-suspects-with-mental-health-issues
Tampa Bay Times
http://goo.gl/QQDrRT
http://www.care2.com/c2c/group/aimi
Wrongful Death of Larry Neal
http://WrongfulDeathofLarryNeal.com
Dog Justice for Mentally Ill
http://DogJusticeforMentallyIll.blogspot.com
Paragraphs 1 and 2 repeated:
ST. PETERSBURG — Kenneth Robert Sprankle was convinced he would find a cure in the Florida sun. He moved here several months ago from Pennsylvania and loved the beaches. But, as he'd done for years, he struggled to manage his mental health. The end came Monday, when the 27-year-old bipolar schizophrenic smoked some spice and began chasing people downtown with an ax before being shot and killed by police. (Tampa Bay Times)
_____
Sprankle's tragedy proves that gun control is unlikely to protect Americans from avoidable mental health crises. Only removing barriers to timely psychiatric treatment, improving access to mental hospitals, and instituting assisted outpatient treatment (AOT) programs can address Americans' mental health needs and enhance community safety. See the ABC video about Sprankle below.
______
This article contains two photos, one video, and six links. Unfortunately, advocacy for mentally ill persons is censored; therefore contents to some articles are listed. It would negatively impact prison investors to decriminalize mental illness and treat people's psychiatric conditions in hospitals or community care programs instead of awaiting an opportunity (crime) in order to incarcerate them. In fact, advocating to decriminalize mental illness has made me America's most censored person. If you find the links, video, or photos have suffered tampering, please comment below or email me at MaryLovesJustice@gmail.com .
DOG JUSTICE NEEDED FOR AMERICA'S MENTALLY ILL
