MIAMI (WSVN) - In a recent incident in Miami, 47-year-old Donald Lenard Armstrong now faces charges following a confrontation with police officers that led to him being shot.
The incident occurred on March 7 at Armstrong’s home, located along Northwest 58th Street near Seventh Court, in Miami. According to the Miami Police Department, officers were dispatched to the scene after receiving a 911 call from Armstrong’s mother, who reported her son was experiencing a behavioral episode and could be under the influence of narcotics.
When authorities arrived, they encountered Armstrong on a porch, brandishing a long sharp object and behaving erratically. After multiple commands to disarm him, Armstrong reportedly jumped at the officers with the weapon, prompting officers to use lethal force.
Armstrong was transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital in critical condition. The incident, captured on police body cameras, is under review by the Miami Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
The 47-year-old Miami resident has been charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and resisting an officer without violence. He remains in the hospital as of Monday. His bond for the assault is to be set, while the bond for resisting an officer has been set at $500.
This case has sparked discussions around the police response to mental health crises, with community leaders and advocacy groups calling for reforms and the implementation of non-police crises intervention teams.
The Healing and Justice Center, a coalition of community advocates, encouraged the need for a community-based approach to handling such situations on Thursday. The group was joined by Armstrong’s family.
“[This] shooting is proof that police officers are not trained to respond to mental health crises. Police are socialized to see every call as a potential threat. When they are called to the scene, they treat it as law enforcement officials, not as mental health experts,” said Rachel Gilmer, Director of the Healing and Justice Center, in a news release. “We started our mobile crisis unit so that when residents of Miami-Dade County are in crisis, they can call for help and receive the support they need, without having to worry if their loved ones would be killed.”
The organization also did wellness checks in Armstrong’s neighborhood since the incident occurred, providing emotional support and listening to concerns of the residents.
If you or anyone you know is suffering a mental health crisis, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. The advocacy group would like the community to know that there is an alternate number to call at 1-866-SAFEMIA.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.