A mental health crisis call in east Louisville on Friday night ended with a 28-year-old woman dead after police say she confronted officers with a sharp object.According to Louisville Metro Police, Katelyn Hall had locked herself in a bathroom, was armed with a glass weapon, and was making suicidal threats when officers arrived. Police said officers forced entry into the bathroom, and Hall then charged at them with what they described as a sharp object. Two officers fired their weapons, killing her.LMPD Chief Paul Humphrey said encounters involving people in mental health crises are among the most difficult situations officers face.“Responding to people in mental health crisis are often some of the most complex and emotionally charged situations that officers handle,” said Humphrey.Police said the case did not qualify for Louisville’s crisis call diversion program because of the reported weapon and because other people were inside the home. “No one goes into these situations hoping or expecting for this outcome. Not the families, not the officers, and certainly not the community,” said Humphrey. “When we think there’s risk of violence to others, when that’s what the dispatchers assess, then the crisis team is not appropriate. Instead, we have to send LMPD to ensure everybody is safe,” said Mayor Craig Greenberg.Under the city’s current system, mental health-related calls that do not pose an immediate threat of life or serious harm will transfer to the Deflection Crisis Triage Worker (CTW) team with the caller’s consent. Those workers try to de-escalate the situation, provide emotional support, and determine whether an in-person response is needed.Greenberg said the city is considering another type of response.“One thing we are looking at as opposed to just having mental health professionals or LMPD respond is maybe we should have a co-responder model where, in situations like this, if they happen again in the future, both a mental health professional and a police officer would respond,” said Greenberg.LMPD said it plans to release body camera footage from the shooting.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. —
A mental health crisis call in east Louisville on Friday night ended with a 28-year-old woman dead after police say she confronted officers with a sharp object.
According to Louisville Metro Police, Katelyn Hall had locked herself in a bathroom, was armed with a glass weapon, and was making suicidal threats when officers arrived. Police said officers forced entry into the bathroom, and Hall then charged at them with what they described as a sharp object. Two officers fired their weapons, killing her.
LMPD Chief Paul Humphrey said encounters involving people in mental health crises are among the most difficult situations officers face.
“Responding to people in mental health crisis are often some of the most complex and emotionally charged situations that officers handle,” said Humphrey.
Police said the case did not qualify for Louisville’s crisis call diversion program because of the reported weapon and because other people were inside the home.
“No one goes into these situations hoping or expecting for this outcome. Not the families, not the officers, and certainly not the community,” said Humphrey.
“When we think there’s risk of violence to others, when that’s what the dispatchers assess, then the crisis team is not appropriate. Instead, we have to send LMPD to ensure everybody is safe,” said Mayor Craig Greenberg.
Under the city’s current system, mental health-related calls that do not pose an immediate threat of life or serious harm will transfer to the Deflection Crisis Triage Worker (CTW) team with the caller’s consent. Those workers try to de-escalate the situation, provide emotional support, and determine whether an in-person response is needed.
Greenberg said the city is considering another type of response.
“One thing we are looking at as opposed to just having mental health professionals or LMPD respond is maybe we should have a co-responder model where, in situations like this, if they happen again in the future, both a mental health professional and a police officer would respond,” said Greenberg.
LMPD said it plans to release body camera footage from the shooting.