Overland Park Mom Rejects 'Suicide By Cop' Theory Years After Deadly Overland Park Officer-Involved Shooting Killed Her Son

More insight and journalism advocacy on behalf of a JoCo mom who hopes to change the status quo in how suburban law enforcement deals with youngsters . . . Here's her story that echos some of the very same complaints from so many urban core moms:

Two Years After Police Killed Her Teen, This Overland Park Mom's Fight For Reform Isn't Over

It had not been a good day for John Albers. The 17-year-old Overland Park teen had ADHD, and occasionally went through extreme ups and downs. It was January 20, 2018, and he told his parents he didn't want to go out to dinner with the family that night.

Comments

  1. Get over it. Your nutball son was a danger to the public. You knew he was a wingnut, should have had the vans keys secured. Turn his room in a den and get a new TV.

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  2. the fat ass cop freaked out and murdered this poor kid, he backed out of a garage like any normal person would and the bastard shot the shit out of him, they should have pulled a cop car in the driveway to block him instead the fat bastard got scared and emptied his magazine on this kid.

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  3. The nutball son would have run over some kid in the neighborhood and you all would be making excuses for it. TOUGH SHIT!

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  4. Maybe if Mommy had been a better Mommy and done what was right to begin with her son would still be alive today. But it appears Mommy still can't accept her son had a huge mental condition so doubtful she'll ever come to terms with the situation.

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  5. Keyed deadbolts on the bedroom door, with break-proof windows are how you secure your wingnut kid who doesn't want to go out on the town with you. Not assume that the now at risk neighbors aren't going to protect themselves by getting the cops involved. If you have negative interactions with the cops in any situation more violent than a traffic ticket you stand a good chance of getting shot. It's a little much for me, but with an increasingly hazardous breakdown in civil participation the current gen of cops will take it back to the wild west days as they attempt to restore order.

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  6. Some of the comments are truly bat-droppings crazy, blaming the parents of this boy for his death. Blame belongs with the Police Department command staff.

    This was a tragedy brought on by POLICE COMMAND INCOMPETENCE. The young officer who actually killed this kid was also a victim of that command-level incompetence. He was so distraught that he was in tears until he resigned.

    NEVER SHOOT INTO A MOVING CAR! DUH!

    If an officer is threatened by a car -- or thinks he is -- GET OUT OF THE WAY! You CANNOT stop a car moving in your direction by shooting into it. Cars are bigger than bullets. It is simple physics. It CANNOT be self-defense to do so. Bullets don't stop cars.

    Most intelligent Police Departments have a rule: Do Not Shoot Into a Moving Vehicle (unless someone is shooting at you from it). That WAS the rule in Overland Park until the Police Chief foolishly changed it. The poor cop who killed this kid -- absolutely needlessly -- had been trained on the new, permissive rule -- and tragedy resulted.

    One reason that paramilitary organizations like police departments desperately need "civilian oversight" is to avoid situations where testosterone macho takes the place of rational thought -- in policies or practice.

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  7. Phil, Phil, Phil. You poor demented person. Get some help and soon, Please! Your rant against the police is way off base just like the mom's is. I can cut her a break because she lost a kid and she probably really blames herself, and she probably didn't know the depth of his despair. Any person raising teens knows they are moody and secretive even in the best of homes and relations with their parents, those damn hormones. Some are so confused that they don't understand normal life in their head. They aren't bad kids just really confused or sick. The thing this kid needed was competent mental health, the whole family did and obviously still does.
    The kid drove the car out of the garage in reverse at a high rate of speed and had no control over it if you watch the video. I don't blame the cop and you shouldn't either. I only think it boils down to good mental health professionals being available before it escalates to this level. Too bad the kid was shot and died. Sad for all involved.

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  8. This tragedy could have been prevented by good parenting

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  9. Jeez,according to Phil: "Cars are bigger than bullets." AND "Bullets don't stop cars." Yeah, so who's bat-droppings crazy? An attorney, with a Master's in Physics, huh?

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  10. Phil

    Thank you.

    Everyone else, this is not funny. Wow.

    The police screwed up. Period.

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  11. Whether or not the police officer who shot Mrs. Albers' son knew about Jason's mental health issues and other conduct, the dispatchers were giving him this information. Back when my child needed help in middle school, this same mom blamed my wife and me. Now the tables are turned. While I only know the facts that have been released, it seems that the family did not come to reality over Jason's mental health. I do applaud her efforts to bring more mental health training for law enforcement. Sometimes these shootings may be avoided if handled properly. However, there are persons who definitely engage in suicide by cop. I cannot make a judgment on Jason. It appears to me he was not out for a pleasurable drive. His previous threats of harming himself and the threat he posted before he engaged with the police shows his mental state that he was not thinking rationally. I cannot stand the fact that this family received money from Overland Park tax payers. But you never know a jury, they could have been in a mood to sock it to the police or found the officer was justified in using lethal force and she would have received nothing. We still have one of the finest departments in the metro area.

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  12. Any citizen has the human right to run towards anyone who brandishes a gun.

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