When Policing Meets Mental Health In America
Understanding The Statistic: Research tracking fatal police shootings in the United States has found that about one-quarter of people shot and killed by police showed signs of mental illness. This includes conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, severe depression, or episodes of emotional crisis. The figure does not mean mental illness caused the encounter, but it shows how often police respond to situations involving mental health struggles. Many of these cases involve 911 calls made by family members or bystanders asking for help, not enforcement. Officers often arrive as first responders to crises they are not fully trained to manage. This creates situations where fear, confusion, and fast decisions shape the outcome.