Alabama police officer shot and killed a 68-year-old knife wielding man with dementia
Authorities say a police officer in northern Alabama allegedly shot and killed a 68-year-old man who had dementia and was wielding a kitchen knife
MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- An Alabama police officer is being investigated for allegedly shooting and killing a 68-year-old man with dementia after his family called for help on Sunday, according to authorities and the family's lawyer.
A Muscle Shoals police officer fatally shot Ronald Parrish at around 5 p.m. Sunday, according to a statement from the police department.
Tyler Mann, an attorney for Parrish's family, told The Associated Press on Friday that Parrish had dementia and was experiencing an episode of extreme paranoia. Mann said Parrish's wife called her two sons and then eventually emergency responders to help de-escalate.
“She was just looking for some help, she was looking for some support,” Mann said.
A statement released Thursday from the Muscle Shoals Police Department said that three police officers encountered Parrish in his kitchen holding a steak knife after arriving at his residence. The statement said that body-camera footage shows the officers asking the man approximately 102 times for about eight minutes to put the knife down.
The statement said that Parrish then charged at one of the officers, and two officers deployed their tasers. When Parrish didn't stop charging, the statement says, an unidentified officer fired his weapon.
Mann said that the family has requested body-camera footage so that they will be able to discern whether the shooting was justified but have not yet received it.
“I hope that they will let me view the body-camera footage to put this to rest if it shows what they say it shows," Mann said.
Colbert County coroner Justin Gasque confirmed that Parrish was transported to Helen Keller Hospital and pronounced dead.
Muscle Shoals is a small Alabama city near the Tennessee River in the northern part of the state.
“This is an unfortunate incident that has taken a toll on MSPD officers, the man’s family, and the community,” said the Muscle Shoals Police Department in a statement. The department said that officers acted in a manner "consistent with their training.”
An investigation with the State Bureau of Investigation is ongoing. The officers involved were initially put on administrative leave, according to the Muscle Shoals Police Department, but have since been cleared by the department to return to work.
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Riddle reported from Montgomery. Riddle is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.