Ryan Gainer, a teen with autism, was a cross-country runner who worked out his frustrations with six-mile runs and dreamed of becoming an engineer.
On Saturday afternoon, the 15-year-old became upset that his parents had demanded he complete his household chores before he would be allowed to play video games or listen to music on his computer, according to DeWitt Lacy, a civil rights attorney representing Ryan’s family.
“He got upset. Any teen would be upset by that,” Lacy said. Some people with autism experience more heightened emotions and on that day Ryan responded by breaking glass on the front door, Lacy said.
A family member called 911 for help, asking dispatch to send deputies to “take him in” because he was breaking glass and hitting his sister, according to a portion of the call released by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
But instead a responding deputy fatally shot the teen, saying he had threatened the deputy with a garden tool.
What training and instruction have you had on the laws governing use of force in defense of self or others?
Is it reasonably capable of causing “grievous bodily harm”? Being rendered unconscious or otherwise unable to defend oneself, or losing an eye or other significant organ would qualify as “grievous” in these circumstances.
Would a person reasonably fear either “death” or “grievous bodily harm” from an individual wielding a hoe as a weapon?
Unless said person is a small child, very old, or unaware, no I don’t think it’s reasonable to fear even moderate injury from a teenager welding a hoe.
That’s rediculous and cowardly.