'They didn't give a damn': Mother of slain Walter Wallace says police knew her son was in a mental crisis

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Walter Wallace's mother said police knew her son was having a mental crisis because she told them and begged them not to shoot him.

The family of Walter Wallace Jr., who allegedly had a knife and was shot by police, spoke out after unrest ensued in the wake of his death.

Wallace's mother, Cathy Wallace, said police were called to her home three times on Monday but were not able to help her and her family deal with the mental-health emergency her son was experiencing. She said that when officers returned to her home the third time, they ended upmultiple times when he broke free of her and appeared to step toward two officers with a knife.

"They weren't trying to help us, they didn't give a damn about us," Cathy Wallace alleged."My son said, 'Look at them, they standing there laughing at us.' So I took my son and I and walked down the street and left the cops standing out there." Protesters march on Oct. 27, 2020 over the death of Walter Wallace, a Black man who was killed by police in Philadelphia on Oct. 26, 2020.

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said at a news conference on Tuesday that the two officers involved in the shooting did not have less-lethal tools, like stun guns, due to a department-wide lack of resources.

 

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I’m not even reading ABC article I just read the headline don’t want to waste my time on the obvious

Again, F*ck abc’s biased reporting

Something to consider is the human element. We shouldn't assume all police are going to respond the same in these situations. We all preceive threats differently. Police don't expect criminals to respond the same each time they interact w/them. Police are human too! BackTheBlue

Gademit!!!! DEMONS!!!!!!!

I have EMT friends who said they won’t go to a call if there’s a weapon involved until cops secure the area. Might be why cops came & not an ambulance. I don’t have the answers but we need to sort things out. I feel for Walter’s mom.

With him wielding a knife and a danger to their lives or others what did mother expect? Even if cops had a social worker with them they wouldn’t have allowed them in dangerous conditions

Just because someone is having a mental disorder does not mean that they won't kill you. If you have a family member with mental health issues get them help. Don't expect the police to risk their lives.

I call it poor parenting, why did she allow him to have a knife, well done black community.

Let's be honest. They saw a black man with mental health problems that appeared dangerous and they decided to kill him. They shot him 14 times. Its murder. One shot could have disarmed him. But they made the choice to shoot him 14 times.

This is the problem There isn’t anything anyone can do with an adult who has mental issues Until they hurt themselves or someone else You can’t force them into treatment because they have rights

Horrible.

when someone has a knife and tries to kill others there aren't many choice left

Amazing how strong together the black community is when one of their own is killed, regardless of facts but in the white community it's the total opposite, good luck trying to find a white say something good about a white guy wielding a knife.

Hey , three cops have been stabbed in the last few months. Why aren’t you running a story on those. All had excellent body cam depicting how dangerous these calls really are. All you want to do is stoke the flames of race in exchange for ratings.

If he attacked one of his neighbors filming with that knife I guarantee they too would have shot him. Only difference is that would have barely made the local news.

I don't care who is coming at me with a knife. They are going to get shot.

Heartbreaking

Here's what I don't understand, u know there is a mental disorder why aren't the knives on lockdown so they can't get to them?

Are you injured or killed any differently by a mentally disturbed or a mentally capable person?

I guess they should have stood still and let him stab them

So, I guess the police should have refused to come to the scene, and instead sent a mental health professional.

The police have every right to protect themselves when they are attacked. When parents are so incompetent that they can not control their kids, well that is not the police men's fault, seriously, sad but hey the parents are responsible !

Reporting tonight says they did not have tasers due to lack of funding. This is what happens when you “defund” police, more people die

Cops be like.. shoot first. Talk later. Police aren't trained to deal with people mental health issues.

This is so sickening and too much to handle honestly. That poor mother.

The police are not coming to take a knife out of a “ mental patient “ hand willingly... would you? This has nothing to do with color, right is right and wrong is wrong! Crisis should have been called, not the police nor ambulance.

Bitch please he had a knife maybe you should have stopped him. He was your son not the cops. ByeFelicia

The commissioner said “ it just happened” . No kind of remorse or sympathy.

Why are ppl with guns being called on ppl going through a mental crisis ?

Her mask wearing technique sucks.

The scumbags that kill each other everyday there don’t care

Why didn't they jump-in and disarm Wallace? Family, friends, & neighbors have criticized the Police but, they were all there so why didn't they take the knife away from Wallace. Wouldn't you think since they knew Wallace they would be best to talk him down & disarm him?

Who called the police?

If they were called multiple times, why did the family let it get to that point and not get the situation resolved themselves? If he was having a “crisis” and his family couldn’t help it, who’s going to?

Blame should be put where Blame begins not when calling the police where it ends.

Did she try telling him to drop the knife and not try to stab the officers? Seems like that would have been better advice.

Then don't call the cops .... deal with it yourself

He had 10 children? But so mentally ill that he couldn’t comprehend what was going on? You want EMS to roll into that scene, with a man that has a knife, without police? Purely absurd.

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Walter Wallace had a mental illness, his family says. Why did police respond?'We shouldn’t wait until somebody is experiencing a crisis. It’s not good for the person. It’s not good for their family. It's not good for the community. And it’s not the job law enforcement signed up for.' He ran towards officers with a knife!!! The police too often see anyone resisting them as signing their own death warrant. That needs to stop. They have tazers, bean-bag rounds, etc. Less lethal means of taking care of people who are having mental crises. But everyone has a mental illness these days. Just look at the way we all are acting.
Source: USATODAY - 🏆 100. / 63 Read more »