The Baltimore Police Department released bodycam footage on Thursday of a mental health crisis call that resulted in a police-involved shooting that left an African-American man critically wounded. The footage of the incident, which occurred July 1, clearly shows that the suspect aimed a firearm at one of the officers before he was shot, but the shooting has stirred debate on several fronts nonetheless.
Amid a growing movement to “defund the police” and install “transformative” alternatives to public safety, particularly for cases involving mental health issues, the case of Baltimore resident Ricky Walker Jr. demonstrates the complexity and danger of dealing with behavioral crises. The case also highlights the national debate over “red flag” laws, as police had been called 10 days earlier over Walker’s threatening behavior involving another gun.
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