Police Shootings and Mental Health Crises: A Tragic Incident in Aurora
In April, Aurora police released footage of a tragic event where 23-year-old Amare Garlington lost his life during a mental health crisis. This incident sheds light on the complex intersection of law enforcement and mental health issues.
On April 9, officers responded to a call about Garlington threatening to harm himself with a knife. This situation escalated, leading officers to believe he might be attempting “suicide by cop.” They arrived with a Crisis Response Team and mental health clinicians, hoping to de-escalate the situation.
For about 20 minutes, officials spoke to Garlington through his window, urging him to put down the knife. Unfortunately, when he eventually emerged, events took a turn for the worse. He threatened an officer and a police dog, resulting in a violent confrontation. Officer Mark Moore and his dog, Cyrus, were both injured. Garlington was ultimately shot and died at the hospital.
This incident is part of a broader discussion on police training and mental health responses. In recent years, police departments nationwide have been urged to adopt better de-escalation tactics. According to a 2020 survey by the National Institute of Justice, nearly 60% of law enforcement agencies have increased their focus on mental health training for officers.
Furthermore, a report by IntegrAssure emphasized the need for better mental health support. The report states that without robust mental health services, situations like the one involving Garlington will likely continue to occur, endangering both civilians and officers.
Garlington’s family has voiced their pain and frustration. His mother, Michelle Garcia, shared that they had sought help for him multiple times, but he was often turned away from mental health facilities. She described her son as kind and intelligent and called for systemic change to prevent such tragedies.
This incident reminds us that improving mental health services can save lives. It’s crucial to implement effective resources to support individuals in crisis and provide better training for those who respond to them. Like Garcia said, “Something has got to change.”
For more on mental health reform in law enforcement, see the Department of Justice’s report on the importance of mental health training for police officers.
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Amare Garlington,Michelle Garcia,Officer Mark Moore,Sgt. Matthew Longshore
