Man killed by Springfield police had mental illness, family says (and he was black too)
The mother of a man shot and killed by Springfield police early Sunday morning said her son suffered from a mental illness, and she wonders if he was in crisis when officers opened fire on him at Silver Springs Park.
Police say they shot James E. Lewis, 44, after Lewis displayed a handgun during a confrontation at the park. He later died at the hospital.
Lewis' mother, Jeannie Harper, told the News-Leader on Monday her son had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, and she thinks his mental illness likely played a role in Sunday morning's events.
"He had a mental problem," Harper said. "My son was shot and killed. I don't think he deserved that."
Read more: http://www.news-leader.com/story/news/crime/2017/01/02/man-killed-springfield-police-had-mental-illness-family-says/96084824/
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