Earlier this month, a 25-year-old autistic man named Alex LaMorie called for help. He was not reporting a crime or seeking assistance for someone else. He was calling because he was in crisis.
According to reporting, LaMorie had recently moved into a Maryland housing community designed for people with disabilities. During a suicidal episode, he reached out for a wellness check, a step often encouraged in crisis response plans. When police arrived, they encountered him holding a knife. Officers instructed him to drop it. When he reportedly moved toward them, three officers opened fire. LaMorie died at the scene.
His family has called the death senseless, and an investigation is now underway. But beyond the details of this single case, it has reignited a broader and de…
