The shooting of a teenager by six Howard County police officers comes several weeks after he told officers to shoot him and "make it quick," and was his third incident with local police in two months, department officials said Tuesday.
"He's had some psychological problems, but he's never hurt anyone but himself," said Kenneth Nichols, whose son, Jeffrey Dustin Nichols, 19, suffered eight gunshot wounds Monday. He was in critical condition Wednesday morning at the Maryland Shock Trauma Center.
Kenneth Nichols said his son was a whiz in math and science, and had been a student at the Community College of Baltimore County. He said his son took this semester off to focus on personal issues, and had recently been hospitalized. Now, he said, "I just pray he makes it."
Police involved in the department's only officer-involved shooting this year are on routine paid administrative leave, and an investigation is under way, said spokeswoman Sherry Llewellyn. None had dealt with Nichols before, she said. She added that police receive training in dealing with people who have mental health issues.
In mid-September, police were called to the family's home in the 6600 block of Grouse Road for reports of a man cutting his arms. They found that Nichols had cut himself and took him to a hospital. On Oct. 7, Nichols called police to his home, brandishing a knife. He told officers to shoot him and said, "Just do it" and "make it quick," she said.
On Monday, Llewellyn said police responding to a call that a man fired shots in Hanover saw Nichols with a what looked like a semi-automatic gun in Elkridge and ordered him to drop it. They followed him along railroad tracks to the back of an industrial park, again told him to drop the weapon, and shot him when he did not, she said. Nichols' gun actually was a pellet gun, according to authorities.
The officers involved were identified as Officers Joshua Mouton, with four years on the force; Brian Klakring, with five years; Ronald Mabe, with 13 years; James Zammillo, with seven years; Bryce Buell, with 10 years; Ryan Saulsbury, also with 10 years and Sgt. Jayson Janowich, with 12 years. Llewellyn said all but Mabe fired their guns. Mabe was involved in trying to apprehend Nichols.
Copyright 2011 - The Baltimore Sun
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
