The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights Statement on the Shooting of Linden Cameron

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Janessa Sambola-Harris, [email protected]

WASHINGTON –Lynda Garcia, Policing Campaign director of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement on the shooting of Linden Cameron:

“We are horrified to learn of the shooting of Linden Cameron, a 13 year-old living with Asperger syndrome, after his mom called the Salt Lake City police for help transporting him to the hospital in the midst of a mental health crisis. Rather than helping, the officers shot Linden multiple times as the child ran away from them, injuring him critically.

“Time and again, police officers respond to people going through medical crises with violence, rather than compassion – as was tragically illustrated by recent video footage of Rochester police placing a bag over Daniel Prude’s head, suffocating him, as he lay naked in the street during a mental health episode. It is clear: law enforcement is not equipped to respond to such incidents. We demand the officers involved in shooting Linden are held responsible for their unnecessary use of deadly force against an unarmed boy in need of medical attention.

“This tragic shooting demonstrates the urgent need for rethinking the role of police in our country and the need to invest in community-based services that prioritize the safety and protection of every person. We join the nation in keeping Linden and his family in our hearts, and hope for a speedy recovery.”

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 220 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.