ATLANTA — The family of a Georgia Tech student who was shot and killed by campus police during what they say was a mental-health crisis in 2017, is now suing the school and the officer who shot the 21-year-old.
Scout Schultz died two years ago in the incident, which a GBI investigation determined began with Schultz calling 911 to report a suspicious person on campus.
The call described a "white male, with long blonde hair, white t-shirt & blue jeans who is possibly intoxicated, holding a knife and possibly armed with a gun on his hip."
When police arrived, they encountered Schultz, whom they said was holding a knife. The GBI investigation found a "multi-purpose tool that contained a knife" was recovered at the scene. No gun was found.
Officers said they made multiple attempts to get Schultz to drop the item, but the student did not comply. They claimed Schultz advanced at them when Officer Tyler Austin Beck shot the student.
According to the AP, reporting at the time, Schultz identified as bisexual, nonbinary and intersex and preferred the pronouns "they" and "them" rather than "he" or "him." Schultz's given name was Scott.
Schultz was a fourth-year computer engineering student and president of Georgia Tech's Pride Alliance.
Schultz's parents William and Lynn say their child was experiencing a mental health crisis at the time of death and that non-lethal force should have been used to de-escalate the situation.
"Officer Beck was the only officer to use his firearm out of the multiple officers present and had not undergone Crisis Intervention Training," a release by the family's lawyer L. Chris Stewart said.
"Why did you have to shoot? Why did you kill my son?" Shultz's father said in 2017.
In addition to Georgia Tech and Officer Beck, the family is suing the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.
Georgia Tech says it does not comment on pending litigation. The board of regents said the same.
The Fulton County District Attorney's office says it remains under investigation.