http://www.twincities.com/2020/02/26/police-investigating-homicide-in-st-pauls-union-park-area/
The suspect is in custody. They are considering it a domestic dispute. A 2 year
old was present, but it is unclear what that child witnessed.
Noted in the Pioneer Press article, The suspect "was civilly committed last
Thursday for mental illness and chemical dependency issues, according to
Ramsey County District Court records.
The commitment order states he suffers from “an organic disorder of the brain
or a substantial psychiatric disorder … which grossly impairs judgement,
behavior, capacity to recognize reality or to reason or understand, … ( and
is) manifested by instances of grossly disturbing behavior or faulty
perceptions and poses a substantial likelihood of physical harm to self or
others.”
The order, which was a re-commitment as (the suspect) had been previously
civilly committed in 2019, did not require that (he) be held in a secure
hospital, but instead connected him with various services provided by county
management services, according to staff in the Ramsey County Attorney’s
Office.
(The suspect) also has pending criminal cases against him, including one for
first-degree aggravated robbery and a second for fourth-degree assault of a
peace officer.
In the former, he is accused of punching an employee at a Family Dollar store
in Maplewood in August of 2018 who tried to stop him from stealing, court
records say.
In the latter, he reportedly lit a shoe on fire on a neighbor’s patio and then
spit at a police officer, charges say."
Mental illness is actually a common illness and most people get help and are
able to function in society. We hear a lot about the importance of access to
care and there seems to be resources available for those who want to use those
resources. But what about those who have access and aren't helped by those
resources or who refuse those resources? We have the suspect in this case who
was civilly committed, who has prior history of criminal activity, who was
"connected" with county resources, whose illness posed "a significant
likelihood of harm to himself or others" who was out in the streets and able to
commit murder. I don't know where he was in his treatment, if he was refusing,
or he was given the wrong treatment. But, it is tragic that this happened when
it appears that there were likely warning signs.
Likewise, last year, the Mall of America had a similar tragic incident in which
a man with known mental illness, who had access to treatment but refused,
attempted to murder a 5 year old boy.
Cases like these are rare, as the majority of people with untreated mental
illness are more of a risk to themselves than others. However, we do see
untreated mental illness everywhere. It shows up in the form of homelessness,
addictions, inability to maintain relationships and jobs.
Access may be a key factor, but people need to want to work at maintaining
their health. What of those with no family to push them to get ongoing
treatment? Do people have the right to refuse their treatments if it means they
will put their lives at risk? Others lives at risk? What is the humane way to
respond to mental illness that is untreated?