‘A talented, goofy kid’: family of Ryan Gainer, autistic teen killed by police, speak out

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Shooting of 15-year-old ‘beautiful soul’ in California revives scrutiny on law enforcement abuse of youth with disabilities

Norman Gainer said his son, Ryan Gainer, overcame significant adversities: ‘He just wanted to be treated the same as everyone else.’Norman Gainer said his son, Ryan Gainer, overcame significant adversities: ‘He just wanted to be treated the same as everyone else.’hen Ryan Gainer was diagnosed with autism as a toddler, he was nonverbal, and his family all learned sign language to communicate with him.

Ryan was killed on 9 March when officers responded to a 911 call from one of his family members, who reported he was breaking things in their house and “hitting” his sister, but that she wasn’t injured.captured someone inside the home saying Ryan had a “stick”, then Ryan appearing in the doorway. He moved toward a deputy, who immediately threatened to shoot – and fired as he ran from Ryan..

His father said Ryan wanted to switch from special education to general classes, where he “flourished” despite the challenges. “He just wanted to be treated the same as everyone else … All of these things, he overcame.”Some days, he’d come home from school hungry and would explain that he skipped lunch to help another student with math or other work, Rachel added. He ran cross country and enjoyed racing his two sisters.

Autistic youth, even if they’re verbal, may struggle to communicate with officers in high-stress moments and may need physical space and time to respond, she said. In some cases, youth may be especially sensitive to physical touch. The presence of many officers or sounds of sirens could further escalate conflicts. Christiansen emphasized that each person’s circumstances and needs are unique and officers should work with providers and relatives.

Source: Law Daily Report (lawdailyreport.net)

 

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