The recent shooting of a 13-year-old autistic boy by Salt Lake City police was a reconfirmation of what Neurodiverse Utah leadership already knew — that autistic people in crisis are at a high risk of police brutality.
Neurodiverse Utah is an autistic-led grassroots organization that promotes autism acceptance and self-advocacy. We focus on the intersection of gender, sexuality, race, mental illness and other disabilities and the social change that needs to happen so autistic people can lead full, independent lives — free of the worry of violence because they are perceived as other, dangerous and criminal for simply being who they are. Not making eye contact, having social anxiety and being nonverbal or selectively mute does not make anyone inherently a criminal. Add to the situation siren sounds, blazing lights, strangers yelling at someone in their moment of crisis, and it isn’t hard to predict compliance of an autistic or disabled person may not happen.
That social change starts with justice for Linden Cameron. We demand answers why crisis intervention trained officers shot a 13-year-old boy five times. CIT officers should know that autistic people experiencing a meltdown aren’t able to respond to commands, especially if they are experiencing intense anxiety or sensory overload. These officers should, without question, be trained to deescalate a neurologically different and vulnerable individual.
More than a third of Americans killed by police have a disability. This statistic is unacceptable. The Salt Lake City Police Department must hold accountable the officers and chief of police for the shooting of Linden Cameron. We demand justice for Linden and his family and for all autistic people, because autistic lives are worthy of a safe and welcoming community. Currently, this isn’t the case.
Whitney Lee Geertsen, executive director of Neurodiverse Utah, and Storee Powell, assistant executive director, Syracuse
