STEPHON WATTS

A 15-year-old autistic boy was shot dead by police Wednesday after he reportedly attacked them in his family’s basement with his face partially covered, wielding what his father said was a butter knife.
Stephone Watts apparently lunged at police, cutting one of the officer’s arms with the knife.
The officer, who felt his life was in jeopardy, shot twice and killed Watts while his father Steven, who suffers from pancreatic cancer, looked on.
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Deceased: Stephon Watts, a 15-year-old autistic boy, was shot and killed in his home Wednesday

Home: Watts was shot in his parents' Calumet City house, outside of Chicago
Watts’ mother Danelene Powell-Watts told myfoxchicago.com that police had tased him in past altercations.
‘They murdered my son, shot him twice in the head and decided to kill him,’ Mrs Powell-Watts told the station.

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She said police had other options, like tasing him again or shooting him in an arm or a leg.
According to myfoxchicago.com, Watts’ mother was asleep but his father was trying to get him off the computer and on his way to school.
Police had been called to the Chicago-area house to respond to Watts ten times in two years, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Questions: Watts' mother Danelene Powell-Watts wonders why the police had to fatally shoot her son
Stephone’s uncle Wayne Watts said all the family wanted was help, but they got trouble.
‘We are a law-abiding family and we believed in the police and for this to happen is devastating.’
He said one officer shot at Stephone’s leg, and when he kept moving, the other officer shot him in the head, the Chicago Tribune reported.
Calumet City Police Chief Edward Gilmore said in a news conference that Watts was prone to violence.
‘He is well known to this department as someone who will grab a knife, who likes to fight with his fists.’
He continued: ‘Unfortunately today, when he slashed the officer’s arm, the officer felt his life was in jeopardy – he (had) nothing else to do but defend himself.’

First responders: Calumet City police responded to ten calls in two years from the Watts family about their son Stephone
While Watts’ father insists her son was holding a butter knife, police only called it a ‘kitchen knife,’ not specifying whether or not it was dangerous.
The two officers who responded to the shooting are on paid leave during the investigation, the Tribune reported.
Watts was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome when he was nine, family members said.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-20...l#ixzz1lJJdkcyz