A Georgia Tech student who was killed by campus police over the weekend had left several suicide notes and was the one to place a 911 call reporting a suspicious person, says The Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Scout Schultz, 21, was shot and killed Saturday night after repeated requests to drop a knife while advancing towards officers. The incident was caught on camera by a student from his dorm room.
The 911 call reporting a suspicious person was placed by Schultz. Schultz described the person as a “white male, with long blonde hair, white t-shirt and blue jeans who is possibly intoxicated, holding a knife and possibly armed with a gun on his hip”, reports 11 Alive.
While no gun was found at the scene, a multi-purpose tool contained a knife was recovered.
Georgia Tech officials have not released personnel or disciplinary reports on the officers involved, stating such information is exempt from Georgia’s open records law, according to the Associated Press.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says three suicide notes were also found in Schultz’s dorm room.
On Monday morning, a news conference was held where the family’s attorney, Chris Stewart, said they plan to file a civil lawsuit. Stewart says Schultz was having a mental breakdown and posed no threat to officers.
“People have breakdowns sometimes. People just break down,” Stewart said. “That doesn’t mean they deserved to die.”
According to parents Bill and Lynne Schultz, Scout had been seeing a counselor regarding depression and previous suicide attempts and seemed to be making progress.
Schultz’s parents also say non-lethal tactics could have been used to subdue their child, such as Tasers or mace.
Vigil for Student Followed by Violent Protest
Later that day, a vigil that was held for Schultz was followed by a violent protest, resulting in multiple arrests and several injuries.
Georgia Tech sent out an alert, urging students to shelter indoors Monday night and lock doors and windows as protests became more violent, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Approximately 50 protesters marched to the campus police department, says university spokesman Lance Wallace. A police vehicle was damaged and two officers suffered minor injuries. One was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Three protesters were arrested and charged with inciting a riot and battery of an officer.
A video posted to social media shows a police vehicle burning in the streets and protesters being pinned to the ground by officers.
“We ask that those who wish to protest Scout’s death do so peacefully. Answering violence with violence is not the answer,” Scout’s parents pleaded. “Our goal is to work diligently to make positive change at Georgia Tech in an effort to ensure a safer campus for all students.”
