A Colorado teenager died 3 weeks after being shot by police while he was having a mental health crisis: 'Please, please handle him with care'
Katie Wood/The Denver Post via Getty Images
- Alex Domina, 19, was shot by police on August 16 in Loveland, Colorado.
- Domina's grandmother called police to their home and said he was having a mental health crisis, according to a released 911 call.
- Domina died on Tuesday as a result of his injuries, the 8th Judicial District Critical Response Team announced.
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A Colorado teenager who was shot by police after his grandmother called them to help him with a mental crisis died on Tuesday from his injuries, according to a report from the 8th Judicial District Critical Incident Response Team.
The critical incident response team is investigating the shooting to determine if police used excessive force. The investigation is being lead by Fort Collins Police Services, about 30 minutes north of Loveland, according to an August 19 statement from the response team.
Judy Domina called police to her home on August 16, in Loveland, Colorado, to report that her grandson, 19-year-old Alex Domina, was having a mental health crisis and breaking things around her house, according to a 911 call released by the Loveland Police Department.
Judy Domina can be heard in the released 911 call telling the operator that her grandson has attempted suicide multiple times. She tells the operator that Alex has been institutionalized in the past for mental health issues, he is upset because she asked him to do his chores and she wants him to be committed.
"Please, please handle him with care," Judy Domina says in the 911 call. "He - it's mental health."
Shortly after telling the operator that she wants Alex committed, she says he is holding a knife; 23 seconds later, Judy Domina tells the 911 operator that the police have arrived.
Released body camera footage shows Loveland Police Officer Eddie Luzon arriving at the Dominas' home. The footage shows Luzon walk into the Dominas' backyard and encounters Alex Domina holding a knife.
In the released footage, Luzon tells Alex Domina that he wants to talk to him and that he's not trying to take him anywhere.
"Can you put the knife down for me and let's just talk man," Luzon says in the footage.
After Luzon asks Alex Domina to put the knife down again, the footage shows Alex tell Luzon that he doesn't want to "go back." Luzon then tells Domina "don't come near me" and draws his firearm as Domina begins to walk toward the officer.
The released footage shows Luzon order Domina to "stop" several times while Domina continues to talk toward him. "Stop, stop Alex man don't make," Luzon says before the footage shows Luzon shoot Domina. Four gunshots can be heard in the released body camera footage.
The Domina family attorney, Mari Newman, provided a statement to The Denver Post that the family found body camera footage of the shooting "excruciatingly difficult to watch."
"This tragic outcome highlights the need for first responders with mental health training for calls like this," Newman said. Newman did not immediately return Insider's request for comment and attempts to reach Judy Domina were unsuccessful.
The Loveland Police Department did not immediately return Insider's request for comment.