NH - Cody Lafont shot and killed by police responding to 911 call

[bluesneakers]

I keep looking for a source that says 109 shots fired. I can't find one. Did you make a typo?

Oh wow. Thanks for noticing that! It was mentioned in the press conference from the Christopher Sowell shooting. Thanks for checking up on me.

 

[katydid23]

People with mental illnesses also live with family members who somehow manage.

* One in four adults−approximately 61.5 million Americans−experiences mental illness in a given year.

* Approximately 6.1 million people live with bipolar disorder
* Approximately 14.8 million people live with major depression
* Approximately 2.4 million people live with schizophrenia

https://www2.nami.org/factsheets/mentalillness_factsheet.pdf

"People with mental illnesses also live with family members who somehow manage."

If the family member could somehow manage their troubled relative, why all the calls to 911?

If they were actually able to 'manage' their loved one, they would not need to call two armed officers to escort them out of the home. Many family members admit to the cops that they are afraid of the person they are calling about.

 

[ohreally]

"People with mental illnesses also live with family members who somehow manage."

If the family member could somehow manage their troubled relative, why all the calls to 911?

If they were actually able to 'manage' their loved one, they would not need to call two armed officers to escort them out of the home. Many family members admit to the cops that they are afraid of the person they are calling about.

The sad part about this is many times the person that is doing everything to the best of thier ability to help the person with mental illness is killed by them.

 

[bluesneakers]

"People with mental illnesses also live with family members who somehow manage."

If the family member could somehow manage their troubled relative, why all the calls to 911?

If they were actually able to 'manage' their loved one, they would not need to call two armed officers to escort them out of the home. Many family members admit to the cops that they are afraid of the person they are calling about.

Family members don't call 911 every time there's a crisis - some of them never call at all. If they can understand and learn how to deal with someone in crisis without killing (or assaulting) them I think LEOs should be able to do the same.

 

[katydid23]

I don't disagree with you, but the reality is that they have to deal with this now because that's the way it is. In my area, there is only one psych hospital and it is private, for profit. I can't imagine them being called out for various issues.


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I understand that. But my point is that it seems unfair to constantly threaten LE officers with homicide charges when these very difficult cases go sideways. No one else wants to do these jobs because they are dangerous and erratic and uncertain. So every one looks to the cops. Then they send two well meaning men in blue over and they sometimes get in over their heads.

My brother was a paranoid schizophrenic. I am not sure if everyone has seen up close what it is like trying to 'manage' someone in the middle of a 3 day manic episode. My brother thought the CIA was out to kill him, and they were able to 'hide' inside other peoples bodies and follow him around. He would literally be fighting for his life when someone tried to take him to the hospital. And he was strong and in a rage sometimes.

Our mental health resources are sorely lacking. But it seems unfair to hold the police responsible for making up for that inadequacy.

 

[bluesneakers]

The sad part about this is many times the person that is doing everything to the best of thier ability to help the person with mental illness is killed by them.

How often does that happen?

People with mental illnesses are more likely to be victims than perpetrators.

Myth: People with mental health problems are violent and unpredictable.

Fact: The vast majority of people with mental health problems are no more likely to be violent than anyone else. Most people with mental illness are not violent and only 3%-5% of violent acts can be attributed to individuals living with a serious mental illness. In fact, people with severe mental illnesses are over 10 times more likely to be victims of violent crime than the general population. You probably know someone with a mental health problem and don't even realize it, because many people with mental health problems are highly active and productive members of our communities.

 

[bluesneakers]

I understand that. But my point is that it seems unfair to constantly threaten LE officers with homicide charges when these very difficult cases go sideways. No one else wants to do these jobs because they are dangerous and erratic and uncertain. So every one looks to the cops. Then they send two well meaning men in blue over and they sometimes get in over their heads.

My brother was a paranoid schizophrenic. I am not sure if everyone has seen up close what it is like trying to 'manage' someone in the middle of a 3 day manic episode. My brother thought the CIA was out to kill him, and they were able to 'hide' inside other peoples bodies and follow him around. He would literally be fighting for his life when someone tried to take him to the hospital. And he was strong and in a rage sometimes.

Our mental health resources are sorely lacking. But it seems unfair to hold the police responsible for making up for that inadequacy.

If they commit a crime they commit a crime and should be charged. Each shooting of a person with an illness or disability should be investigated. Fair or not they should still be expected to do their jobs without needlessly killing someone who is unwell.

 

[silverkitty]

But a patient reacts to a nurse in a clinic setting very differently than they react to a man in a cop uniform, who was called ti take them away from their home. I think it is kind of unfair to expect them to start out on the same footing because it is very different right from the start. They are put in the position of being the 'force' needed by the family to confront their troubled family member.

Also, the nurse KNOWS that her patient is not armed. The cops do not know that when they go to engage with a person having a mental breakdown. And sometimes they are armed.
Also, a whole lot of healthcare workers get injured, frequently.

I cannot tell you the number of nurses and other healthcare workers who have been harmed or terrorized by patients, family, and others in or visiting their workplace, so don't point to us as a shining example of "handling" things. IMO we try to maintain personal safety without much help or support from our employers. You know who *does* help? Yeah, the cops. Just another crappy thing heaped on their plates.

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[bluesneakers]

I cannot tell you the number of nurses and other healthcare workers who have been harmed or terrorized by patients, family, and others in or visiting their workplace, so don't point to us as a shining example of "handling" things. IMO we try to maintain personal safety without much help or support from our employers. You know who *does* help? Yeah, the cops. Just another crappy thing heaped on their plates.

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Do you have any stats or actual numbers or is this just your opinion?

A success rate would also be helpful for comparison - what percentage of violent incidents with patients result in physical harm/assault/death compared to how many are dealt with without harm to healthcare workers?

My main point still stands though - workers and family members are able to deal with patients without resorting to shooting them.

 

[K_Z]

The annual rate of nonfatal violent crime for all occupations between 1993 and 1999 was 12.6 per 1000 workers.1 For physicians, the rate was 16.2. The rate for nurses was 21.9 (80% of nurses were subject to violent crime during their career). For psychiatrists, the rate was 68.2 per 1000. For custodial staff, the rate was 69 per 1000. The rate for other mental health workers was 40.7. Of psychiatrists responding to surveys, the average rate during their careers was 40%.

Surveys of psychiatric residents found an assault rate ranging from 19% to 64%; rates of repeated assaults ranged from 10% to 31%. The assault rate was 20% among surgical residents, and 16% to 40% among internal medicine residents. Compared with the nonfatal crime rate for all workers, health care professionals—especially mental health workers—are at heightened risk for becoming victims of violence.

http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/psy...nt-violence-against-health-care-professionals

Here's an in-depth article about injuries to staff at the state hospital on Oahu, Hawaii.

http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/...spital-employees-out-of-work-for-months-years

And the effects on emergency department nurses.

Emergency room nurses pay price for parked psych patients

A 2011 study of ER violence by the Emergency Nurses Association showed that over 48 percent of nurses said they had been grabbed or pulled, 41 percent said they had been punched or slapped, and 36 percent said they had been spit on. Smaller numbers said they were kicked, bitten, strangled, stabbed and even sexually assaulted. Nearly half of those assaults were committed by psych patients.

Violent behavior by patients, or their families, has always been a major challenge for ERs, because of the long waits, stressful circumstances and prevalence of drugs and alcohol. Throw in mentally unstable patients who are often held there for hours or days because there are no psych beds available and no psychiatrists in the hospital to evaluate them, and the situation can be explosive.

Peter Anderson, an emergency room physician who works at three hospitals in Orange County, says one of his fellow physicians was choked by a patient who had been in the ER for five days.

Google returned 11.9 million results when I searched.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/emergency-639775-patients-says.html

 

[Dockins]

I have been bitten, punched, slapped, had objects thrown at me, and several times knocked down while working as an RN. It doesn't just happen in the ER. I've had more assaults working in nursing homes by frail looking elderly residents than anywhere. A tiny old lady can really make you see stars if she pops you in the right spot. Also, it's amazing how hard it is to try to contain a person who is in the middle of a violent episode even if they are 90 lbs soaking wet. My first work related injury was a bite by a lady who literally had one front tooth. She broke the skin on my shoulder when I attempted to check her central line bandage. Nurses get abused ALot!

 

[bluesneakers]

I have been bitten, punched, slapped, had objects thrown at me, and several times knocked down while working as an RN. It doesn't just happen in the ER. I've had more assaults working in nursing homes by frail looking elderly residents than anywhere. A tiny old lady can really make you see stars if she pops you in the right spot. Also, it's amazing how hard it is to try to contain a person who is in the middle of a violent episode even if they are 90 lbs soaking wet. My first work related injury was a bite by a lady who literally had one front tooth. She broke the skin on my shoulder when I attempted to check her central line bandage. Nurses get abused ALot!

I'm not denying it happens and I'm sorry you've had to deal with all of that, but how many patients have you shot? That's my point.

Honestly I think people overlook how hard nurses work and how much they go through! My SIL is a pediatric nurse and has had to deal with trauma and upset patients and parents. She also volunteers in South America where they have to have security guards with them constantly. Other SIL is a psych nurse. I got nothing but respect!

 

[RT51]

I grew up just across the river in Vermont from this town. Our town had close ties to this town, such as rivals for sports, and shopping.I grew up in the area in the 60's and 70's when the towns were productive and prospering. But in the last couple of decades, this town, like many in the area has seen businesses leave, and unemployment sky rocket. The amount of drug use in my home town now is so scary. It wasn't that way when I grew up, but when a town has 15% unemployement, everything goes. Community services are no longer funded, or are of very limited use. Mental health assistance is so backed up, due to lack of money to pay for the professionals. It is a sad situation.

I feel bad for the mother, and I also feel bad for the police as they all were probably left holding the short straw in this incident. It is easy to say the patient needs to get mental therapy, but it may not be that accessible as we would like.

 

[bluesneakers]

Obituary for Mr. Cody D. LaFont

Cody Douglas LaFont, 25, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, September 25, 2016 and was greeted by his Bumpa, John McEachern. Cody was born on July 21, 1991 in Lebanon, NH to Tracy (Tessier) McEachern and Kenneth LaFont. Cody worked for Sinclair Machine Products in Claremont, NH, his family’s business and was the shipping supervisor. Cody loved animals and leaves behind his pup, Maverick and his Chocolate Siamese kitty, Rickie Bobbie. He had a fondness for New England sports teams and racing.

More...

 

[bluesneakers]

Police shooting of Claremont man ruled justified

The shooting death of a 25-year-old Claremont man by a police officer last month has been ruled justified.

Investigators said it was unclear why Lafont acted like he did. Witnesses said he had been drinking excessively the night before, and he struggled with bouts of depression. He would often call 911, and the morning he was shot, he called 911 four times, saying that he wasn’t thinking straight and that he needed to talk with someone.

That's so sad. If he had called a crisis line it could have made a huge difference - the reason he called 911 is exactly what they're there for. I don't think enough people realize they are out there and how to use them.