Fatal Shooting of a Man with ASD

Last night my quiet street was turned into an episode of "Cops" reality TV as 11 police cars with blaring sirens and flashing lights wrapped up a city wide car case in front on my house! When I saw police; yelling at the driver and running with shot guns all I could think about was get the kids and don’t let go of Nicky or he might end up dead. I watched the driver, a young man finally come out of his car,get down on his knees and follow the officers commands. I was relieved when he was arrested and no gun fire had been exchanged.

If you don't have, or don't know a child with Autism, you might think this sounds dramatic. But if you know our kids, you know how vulnerable they are. They lack understanding of social dangers and if the police yelled, "Get Back", "Stop", "Hands over your head", "Drop to your knees" these commands could mean nothing. Our kids might jump up and down or flap their hands, or laugh and in the end, our innocent children could be shot, maybe even fatally, because their actions would be mis-read by the police, who do not have the ability - especially in tense situations- to recognize autism.

Seeing this scenario flooded my mind with visions of what could happen to my son if he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I kept imagining what Nicky might do if he was suddenly surrounded by police, guns drawn, yelling. I managed to push images of him being shot as tense police shouted directions to him, which he didn't understand. I finally pushed my fear out of my mind and went to sleep. Then I woke up to the headline “27 Year Old Man with Autism Fatally Shot By LAPD”.

I am a parent of male, African American with Autism. I live in a city where the police have been trained to shoot to kill and have not received adequate training in identifying and communicating with individuals with developmental disabilities, including Autism. I do not believe it was an accident the police chase ended in front of my house. I think it was my WAKE UP CALL, that we have not yet found a way to safely and successfully include individuals with autism into our communities.

With one in every 80 boys diagnosed with ASD, we are all living with autism. We will all be touched by a person who has autism; in our schools, churches, families or work. As a civilized society, we know that individuals with autism deserve to be treated with the same dignity and respect as any member of our community. As a civilized society we must demand that ALL first responders get adequate training in recognizing ASD before another life is lost. The story from the Los Angeles Times is below. I hope you will find the time to read it and I hope it moves you to do what you can.


Police fatally shoot unarmed man in Koreatown
Steven Eugene Washington, 27, didn't respond to commands and seemed to reach for a weapon, officers say. Relatives say he had learning disabilities and was generally afraid of strangers.


Frankie Washington mourns the death of her nephew. Relatives say that Steven Eugene Washington, 27, was not a violent man and that he probably was walking home after visiting a friend. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times / March 20, 2010)

By Jason Song
March 21, 2010
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Los Angeles Police officers shot and killed a man in Koreatown early Saturday morning after he reached into his waistband for what officers believed was a weapon, authorities said.

Steven Eugene Washington, 27, died from a single gunshot wound to the head shortly after midnight.

Although no weapon was found, officers said they feared for their lives because Washington did not respond to their commands and appeared to be reaching for his waistband.

Hours after the shooting, Washington's relatives criticized police and said the dead man had suffered from learning disabilities and was generally afraid of strangers. They insisted that he was not violent and that he probably was walking home after visiting a friend.

Police identified the gang enforcement officers involved as Allan Corrales and George Diego, who have served nearly seven and eight years with the department, respectively. Both have been reassigned until the probe is completed, police said.

Corrales and Diego were driving south on Vermont Avenue near James M. Wood Boulevard shortly after midnight in a marked police car when they heard a loud sound, according to police. They turned the car around and saw Washington walking north on Vermont while looking around and touching something in his waistband area.

The officers spoke to Washington, but he approached them and seemed to remove something from his waistband, police said.

Corrales and Diego believed "he was arming himself" and fired, Assistant Chief Earl Paysinger said at an afternoon news conference.

"The officers made decisions in a fraction of a second," he added.

It appears the officers fired once each, Paysinger said. It's unclear which bullet struck Washington.

Washington's family said he was autistic and had learning disabilities but enjoyed riding the bus and trains. He was taking classes at a community college and wanted to become a mechanic. He often took the Metro Red Line subway to visit friends and was probably walking to his home a few blocks to the south, his family said.

Washington was generally wary around strangers and sometimes shy even around family members.

"That's what we lost today: a kid," said his aunt, Vickie Thompson.

jason.song@latimes.com