A man who was shot twice by police in the Suncoast Community High School parking lot Monday is being treated at St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach.
NewsChannel 5 is not currently naming the man since he has not been officially charged in the case.
WPTV reporter Jon Shainman spoke with the man’s mother and brother who said that he is 29 years old and has had a series of mental health issues over the years.
They added they had been seeking help for him this past weekend and found it hard to understand why he was shot.
“No violence, nothing violent. He just has these episodes,” mother Monte Alfred said. “Where he shuts down and won’t say nothing.”
The family also said they have had to contend with other episodes where their loved one would wander off without warning and would be found miles away.
They’re just looking for answers as to how the situation was handled, and whether it could have been handled differently.
Riviera Beach police said in a Monday afternoon statement that the man attempted to enter the premises of the school on foot. When he was approached by an officer, they said he “became combative” and made physical contact with the officer. In response, the officer shot him twice.
Both the officer and the man were taken to the hospital for treatment. The officer was treated and released, while the man remained in stable condition Monday afternoon.