The parents of a woman who was shot and killed Sunday by Auburn police say they hoped to get her to a hospital, but “instead the police ended up putting a bullet in her.”
Melissa Boarts, 36, died Sunday afternoon after police said they fired on her as she charged at them with an unidentified weapon.
“It is absolutely outrageous that our precious daughter, Melissa (Boarts), was shot and killed by the Auburn police,” her father Michael Boarts said. “There was absolutely no justification for it and we are all in deep mourning.”
Michael Boarts is retired from the military and worked for 25 years as an officer of the Alabama Department of Corrections.
At 3:40 p.m. Sunday, police responded to a call of a suicidal driver on Interstate 85 south approaching Auburn.
Melissa’s mother, Terry Boarts, called 911 to ask for help and warn that her daughter was threatening to harm herself with a pocket knife.
Police found the driver in Macon County and followed her until she pulled over on Red Creek Road.
According to the Auburn Police Department, Boarts got out of the car with a weapon and began to charge the officers. They did not know what type of weapon the woman had, and officers fired at her.
She died at the scene.
The State Bureau of Investigation was called in to investigate, based on protocol for officer-involved shootings. The SBI’s findings will be turned over to the Macon County District Attorney’s Office.
Authorities are not releasing further details in the ongoing investigation.
Terry Boarts and her husband hoped the police could help get their daughter to a hospital for assistance.
“Instead the police ended up putting a bullet in her,” they said.
Julian McPhillips, the attorney representing the family, criticized the lack of care and lack of mental health sensitivity demonstrated by several law enforcement officers. Melissa Boarts was suffering from mental health issues, including manic-depressive behavior, and did not have a gun, he said.
McPhillips said the police have kept Melissa’s parents in the dark about what happened Sunday. He is demanding copies of dash-cam and body-cam videos from the scene, and the family plans to pursue legal action.
http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2016/04/woman_shot_to_death_by_auburn.html
Just watch how the camera footage will “mysteriously” disappear.
“Melissa’s mother, Terry Boarts, called 911 to ask for help….”
First mistake was calling 911.
“…and warn that her daughter was threatening to harm herself with a pocket knife.”
2nd mistake was providing the thugs with an excuse to gun her down at first sight.
When will people learn?
Never. Amerika just continues downhill, because the population still thinks ‘everything is okay’.
there is nothing shitier on the planrt than a hillbilly JUDEOCHRISTIAN cop who thinks hes doin THE LORDS WORK……………..
“Julian McPhillips, the attorney representing the family, criticized the lack of care and lack of mental health sensitivity demonstrated by several law enforcement officers.”
I spotted a word that shouldn’t be in that sentence… ‘sensitivity’.
typo
“Michael Boarts is retired from the military and worked for 25 years as an officer of the Alabama Department of Corrections.”
Karma?
Nawww,… that would have been if HE had been shot, not the daughter.