David Jordan, a 20-year-old man from Long Beach, California, was tragically killed on September 11, 2012, in a confrontation with police. David, who had autism, struggled with various challenges but had worked hard to communicate and had aspirations of becoming a chef. Despite his progress, he had recently been facing increased stress due to changes in his medication and the absence of his special education advocate, which worsened his emotional state. On the day of the incident, he became suicidal and began expressing a desire for the police to end his life.
His grandmother, concerned for his safety, called 911, hoping that David would receive medical help as he had during previous crises. She informed the dispatcher about David's autism and the fact that he was suicidal. However, instead of sending an ambulance, police officers were dispatched. When they arrived at the scene, David, armed with a knife, approached the officers in a threatening manner. Despite efforts to de-escalate the situation, David lunged at one of the officers with a knife, prompting the officer to fire at him. Although the officers attempted to revive him, David succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
This tragic incident underscored the challenges faced by families of individuals with autism in moments of crisis and raised questions about police protocols when dealing with mentally ill or neurodivergent individuals.
