Autistic 13-year-old shot by police after mother seeks mental health crisis help

Unable to help her son while he was having a mental health crisis, Linden Cameron's mother Golda Barton called 911 for assistance. Responding to the call, officers arrived at the home in Utah, United States. Instead of providing assistance to the 13-year-old boy with Asperger's Syndrome, the officers shot him multiple times. Cameron survived being shot but was left in a critical state. He remains in the hospital while an investigation has been launched by the Salt Lake City Police Department following the harrowing incident on Friday, September 4.

Barton and Cameron were in their family home in Glendale, Salt Lake City. The teen, who is on the Autism Spectrum, had been having a difficult time coping with his mother returning to work. Separation anxiety of not having his mother at home made the teen have a mental health breakdown. The worried mother decided to seek professional help to deescalate the situation.

She called 911 and spoke to the crisis intervention team (CIT) who assured her that officers would arrive soon to deescalate the situation using minimal force. Barton told the CIT that her son has Asperger's and she needed to take him to a hospital.

When the officers arrived, she told them that her son was unarmed. She reportedly told them that he was having a tantrum and did not know how to control himself. The officers asked her to stay outside the home while they entered the property to take control of the situation.

Speaking to KUTV, Barton heard the officers tell the teen to get on the ground before hearing gunshots. The panicked mother thought her son was dead after hearing the gunshots. The officers initially did not say anything to the woman. She eventually realised that Cameron was still alive. The severely injured boy was taken to a hospital. Cameron's father who was in Iowa drove down after he was informed of the incident.

Barton claims one of the officers said, "He's just a child, what are you doing?" Salt Lake City Police Department has launched an investigation into the incident. While the mother claims that her son was unarmed, the police department claims that the teen with "violent psych issue" was threatening them with a weapon. There is no indication that a weapon was found at the scene.

Cameron is being treated for injuries to his shoulders, ankles, intestines and bladder. The investigation continues.