Family Of RI Man Shot By LAPD Seeks Mental Health Reform: Report

NORTH PROVIDENCE, RI — The family of a North Providence man who was shot and killed by Los Angeles police over the weekend says they hope the tragedy will serve as a catalyst for mental health reform.

Family members of 34-year-old Richard Solitro, Jr. held a press conference at Our Lady of Fatima church where Alexandria D’Angelo, Solitro's spouse, said she hopes her husband did not die in vain.

“Richard had challenges with his mental health and had previously been injured by law enforcement," D'Angelo said, according to a report from Uprise RI. "We believe this tragedy could have been avoided. Persons suffering from mental illness and/or addiction are not criminals. They need help. They should not be ignored, marginalized, or forgotten.”

Solitro's father spoke of the difficulty the family had in procuring mental health treatment for their son, not only in Rhode Island, but in California. Family members said too many first responders are sent into the field with limited training or experience working with mental illness.

Los Angeles police say on Saturday afternoon in Hollywood, Solitro crashed his car into a cruiser on Sunset Boulevard. He was was wearing body armor and advancing toward an officer with his arm behind his back and uttering a "3-2-1" countdown when he was shot dead, police said. Solitro proved to be unarmed.

Solitro in 2018 was previously shot and injured by a North Smithfield police officer after pointing a toy gun. He was the father of three.

Read More at Uprise RI