In response to today’s announcement by Dr. Jill Harrington, mother of Alex LaMorie, and her family, the Autism Society of Maryland reaffirms its support for the family following his shooting death on March 1st.
This is another challenging moment for the family following the heartbreaking announcement the Maryland State’s Attorney General earlier this year that the officers involved in his shooting would not face criminal charges and would not be held accountable.
Alex called the police to report a crime of which he was a victim, and the responding officers knew that he was experiencing a mental health crisis. Nonetheless, they used lethal force which led to tragic results.
It is difficult to understand, based on the circumstances of the events of the night, how his death was “justified.” We will continue our work to ensure that Alex did not die in vain. We will continue to support Alex’s mother, Dr. Jill Harrington, in her quest to have all details from the events made public, including ALL of the video footage capturing the incident, and the time before it.
Since Alex’s death, the Autism Society of Maryland has taken a leadership role in understanding and reforming police practices when responding to individuals with autism and other intellectual disabilities. We will continue our work to help build a community that is safer for individuals with disabilities, free of incidents like the one that ended Alex’s life.
For more information on this statement: Melissa.Roseberg@autismsocietymd.org or 410-290-3466
10.29.26
