Dozens of people gathered outside of the Miami Township Police Department to protest an officer-involved shooting on Saturday.
As previously reported by News Center 7, Miami Township police shot and killed Jayden Stephenson on February 19 at a home on Sawgrass Drive.
“Jayden needed help. He needed to go to the hospital for an evaluation. “And the police were unwilling to assist,” one protester told NewsCenter 7.
Family and community members in attendance held signs reading “Justice for Jayden,” “7 minutes is not enough,” “Mental Health Matters,” and other messages.
Last week, the Miami Township Police Department released body camera footage and the 911 call related to the shooting.
In a 911 call, a woman reported that her son, Stephenson, had threatened the family with a knife. She also stated that she believed her son was dealing with mental health issues.
Body camera footage showed officers speaking with Stephenson, who was sitting inside with a knife, from the front door before entering the home.
According to Alan Statman, a lawyer representing Stephenson’s family, the 21-year-old was holding a small box cutter from his job.
Officers repeatedly tell Stephenson to drop the knife, as seen on video. Police previously stated that officers gave him that command 29 times in the seven minutes prior to the shooting.
Stephenson eventually stood up and walked toward the staircase of the house. Officers used a taser and a bean bag gun, but he still ran upstairs into a locked bedroom.
Officers followed him upstairs and kicked open the door. Stephenson was discovered lying on the floor in a connecting bathroom.
Police then used a taser and a bean bag gun on Stephenson again. He stood up and approached officers, at which point at least one officer fired his gun, hitting and killing him.
According to a previous News Center 7 report, Stephenson’s family believes the shooting was unjustified, and their lawyer considers it absurd.
“I’m going to tell you that if he had a gun, he’d still be alive today,” Statman joked. “They would not have gone into that house.
They would have called a SWAT team. They would have hired a negotiator and a crisis manager, and it would have been a lengthy process before something like this occurred.”
The family stated on Friday that he had been dealing with mental health issues but did not pose a threat to himself or his family.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation has placed five officers on paid administrative leave pending the completion of the investigation.
A township spokesperson told News Center 7 that the Ohio BCI investigation is still ongoing, so no further information can be released.
“We hope this raises awareness… and that people, particularly police officers, require better training and education on mental health, what they are expected to do, and what they are capable of doing.
Alternatively, people with mental health training should accompany police officers on runs. “And we hope that this brings Jayden some justice,” one protestor said.
