Dear Editor:
Police should not have to kill people because they are mentally ill.
An air marshal shot Rigoberto Alpizar to death at Miami-Dade airport on Dec. 7. He was not armed. So why was he shot? Because he claimed to have a bomb and refused orders to stop.
Similar shootings have happened in Kentucky. In 2001, Officer Chris White was forced to shoot a suicidal man who pointed a gun at him at Fayette Mall in Lexington. The Miami air marshal acted appropriately as did Officer White.
Why are these officers placed in such positions?
Mr. Alpizar's wife said her husband was not being treated for his bipolar disorder. Those who have bipolar disorder can lose touch with reality, can become irrational, and can become agitated. So why wasn't he being treated for his disorder? There could be many reasons, such as people don't think they need it or they want to prove that they are strong.
