#Utah police repeatedly shoot autistic teen after his mom called 911 for help

A 13-year-old Utah boy with autism is recovering in the hospital after police responding to his mom’s 911 call for help repeatedly shot the teen.

Linden Cameron, who has Asperger syndrome, was left in serious condition with injuries to his intestines, bladder, shoulder and ankles from the shooting Friday in Glendale, news station KUTV reported.

“He’s a small child. Why didn’t you just tackle him?” Golda Barton told the outlet. “He’s a baby. He has mental issues.”

Barton said she called 911 on Friday for help with her son, who was experiencing a mental breakdown at their home.

When officers responded, she told them that Linden was unarmed and that he needed to be hospitalized.

“I said, ‘He’s unarmed, he doesn’t have anything, he just gets mad and he starts yelling and screaming,’” she said.

Police told her to stay outside while they went into the house, but minutes later, she heard the officers order Linden to “get down on the ground” and a round of gunfire.

Salt Lake City police Sgt. Keith Horrocks said Friday the officers feared that the teen might have a weapon.

Cameron had attempted to flee the house on foot, then one of the officers shot him, Horrocks said.

“Our investigators obviously will be looking at body-camera footage,” he told reporters.

His mother said her son was handcuffed and officers were unable to tell her whether he was alive.

“Why didn’t they tase him? Why didn’t they shoot him with a rubber bullet?” Barton told KUTV. “You are big police officers with massive amounts of resources. Come on. Give me a break.”