Dallas police shoot mentally ill man holding screwdriver

[TexasTowelie]

Family members have released video of Dallas police shooting and killing a mentally ill man who brandished a screwdriver.

Jason Harrison, 38, was shot and killed by two officers at his home last June. The Dallas Morning News reports:

Police said at the time that Harrison’s mother told them he was making “violent threats” and that Harrison, who was armed with a screwdriver, became aggressive when the officers ordered him to drop it.

But Harrison’s family and their attorney, Geoff Henley, released the video saying they believe it should spark reforms for policies and training on how police interact with the mentally ill. Also, they said officers should have first tried less lethal force on Harrison, such as pepper spray or a Taser.

“This is a perfect video for the Dallas Police Department to use in training as an example of what not to do,” said older brother Sean Harrison. “You don’t yell at them — that only agitates them.”

Chris Livingston, an attorney who represents the police officers, said they shot Harrison because they feared for their lives. Livingston said a blow from a screwdriver can easily be fatal.

Harrison’s mother had called 911 for help bringing her son to the hospital. Family members say he used the screwdriver to work on computers, and had never become violent in the past.

http://dallas.suntimes.com/dal-news/7/75/87406/dallas-police-shoot-man-screwdriver-video

WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEO. The comments on YouTube are also extremely callous.