A graduate student with a mental disorder was shot and killed over the weekend on the Cal State San Bernardino campus and now there are demands that the university look at how campus police treat those with mental disabilities.
All of the officers involved in the fatal shooting of 38-year-old Bartholomew Williams were properly trained on how to deal with people suffering from mental disabilities, a campus police spokesperson said Monday. Even so, some students and leaders are questioning the effectiveness of that training.
"No one knew what was on his mind, and we will never know," said Eddie Jones of the LA Civil Rights Association on Monday.
Williams was shot and killed by campus police on Saturday night in the 1500 block of West Northpark Boulevard in a common area around the University Village dorm, according to police. Williams -- who allegedly pepper-sprayed an officer and repeatedly kicked him in the head -- was shot five times during the confrontation, police said.
According to Jones and his organization, police ignored Williams' rights as a person with a mental disability.
"People with mental issues have rights," Jones said. "We want a fast-track investigation from the DA's office."
A campus police spokesperson said before the deadly confrontation, officers had to calm Williams down twice on Saturday: first at 8:30 a.m. at the library and again at 10 a.m. in a nearby parking lot.
When police got a third disturbance call regarding Williams, he apparently refused to go with them for a psychiatric evaluation and fought the officers for several minutes.
According to Williams' mother, he suffered from a bipolar disorder and had stopped taking medication for at least a week.
