18-year-old Nicholas Pesare was shot and killed by Largo, FL, police on Thursday after responding to a call about a domestic disturbance from his mother, Anne Polce. According to WTSP.com, Polce said she had called the police “hoping they would take him to a mental evaluation center for medication” but, while she was outside, two officers entered her apartment and three gunshots heard:
Largo Police are investigating the incident, but say their officers had no choice but to shoot the teen after they were attacked by Pesare, who they say was under the influence of drugs and was threatening suicide. His mother confirms she found her son snorting Xanax earlier in the day.
“They were confronted with a deadly force situation, one of the officers fired their service weapon and, as a result, we have a deceased adult male,” said Lt. Mike Loux of the Largo Police Department.But Polce says she can’t understand why the officers found it necessary to kill her son, who she describes as 5’3″ tall, 118 pounds and armed with only a folding pocket knife. She says the officers were three times the size of her son. She’s also angry she was not allowed to enter the apartment herself to bring her son out peacefully.
“I could have diffused the whole situation because he would have never come after me,” said Anne Polce shortly after being questioned by investigators.
Noting that her son suffered from depression, Polce said they had been arguing about returning to Rhode Island, where they had moved from some years ago.
Pesare’s death sadly highlights the need for greater instruction and understanding about autism among first responders including police and EMTs. As a statement from the UK’s National Autistic Society (NAS) emphasizes,
The vast majority of individuals with autism are law abiding and respect the rules of society. On occasions when a person with autism comes to the attention of the police and other services it is normally a result of their social and communication difficulties being misunderstood and because they are not given appropriate support.
Here in New Jersey where we live, all police must undergo training about autism and how to approach individuals on the spectrum, who may not — I know my son very likely would not — respond to instructions and display unusual behaviors that may seem threatening. There have been a number reports of police shooting and restraining autistic adults (mostly autistic men) that have tragically been fatal, as in the case of Pesare.
We have unfortunately had to deal with our local police and EMT’s a few times when our son was extremely upset in our car or in a public place. Needless to say, these were difficult experiences, but the police were very respectful of us and our son, asking us what they would like us to do and what our assessment of the situation was. The resources for training first responders are out there ; Dennis Debbault, a parent of an autistic son, offers training for law enforcement and emergency officers and others. Alittle instruction can go a long way, and could have made a real difference for Nicholas Pesare and his mother.
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