Walk held to raise awareness about mental illness after man was shot and killed by Tulare Police
TULARE, Calif. (KFSN) -- Each minute, each hour, each day is still hard for Anyka Harris. "I'm still in shock. It's still unbelief. Basically, I'm numb."
Her 27-year-old son, Jontell Reedom, a former Tulare Union High standout football player was shot and killed Monday after an altercation with Tulare Police.
Authorities say Reedom took an officer's baton after being pepper sprayed and tased, which led to officers opening fire and killing him.
Harris believes her son was dealing with his schizophrenia, a disorder he has been battling for about two years.
"Coming into this illness he may have walked around, but if he knew you, he said something to you. He was still loving, no matter what, and caring," said Harris.
Wednesday, some 100 people came together to raise awareness about mental illness while also protesting the recent shooting.
Tulare Mayor Carlton Jones greeted them on the steps of city hall.
"It is my responsibility to make sure that doesn't stay out here as conversation, that when I go in city hall, and I go upstairs, and when I sit down with our officers, say 'Hey, do you hear it, they are not saying they don't want anything to do with you. They want to be closer to you they want you to know them'," said Jones.
While he works on long-term solutions, Harris is encouraging those impacted to take an active non-violent role in change.
"The only way we are going to be able to do that is by being together standing together, speaking together, loving together," said Harris.
In the meantime, the grieving mother says she has a message of compassion for the two officers.
"I forgive the officers. I just hope that if in their heart, if that they acted too quickly, that they could come and apologize."
