DENVER -- The fatal shooting of a mentally disabled teen over the weekend has stirred many questions, both from his family and the Denver police chief.

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Police Chief Gerald Whitman admitted that two of the officers at the scene of the Park Hill shooting had Taser stun guns and another officer had received crisis intervention training to deal with emotionally disturbed and mentally disabled people.

Both Whitman and Paul Childs' family want to know why those options weren't used.

Childs, a 15-year-old student with a mental disability, was shot and killed while standing in the doorway of his family home because he had refused to drop the kitchen knife he was holding.

African-American leaders in the community are adamant in their wish for an independent investigation into Saturday's shooting and are calling for changes at the Denver Police Department.

Childs' family said he was standing still, holding the knife close to his chest with both hands, when the officer approached and fired.

"I told them not to shoot him. I said, 'Please don't shoot him!' I told them not to shoot him and he shot him anyway," said Paul's mother, Helen Childs. "He wasn't a threat to his sister, he wasn't a threat to that officer. I just want justice."

She said one officer yelled at the officer to use a Taser stun gun but he opened fire instead.

The officer who fired, James Turney, has been placed on paid leave pending an internal investigation.

This is not the first time Turney has been under review for his actions. Turney and another officer shot and killed a black, hearing-impaired, 18-year-old in that same neighborhood last January. Greg Smith was shot in his home after he pulled a knife out on officers while standing at the bottom of the stairs. His family, who had called police to the home, said that Smith couldn't have been a threat to the officers because they were standing at the top of the stairwell and far away from him. No charges were filed in that case because the district attorney ruled that Turney's actions were justified.

A tape of the 911 call that was made Saturday afternoon by Paul Child's sister, Ashley, was released Monday. She said she called 911, hoping police would arrive to help calm her brother down. On the tape, Ashley calmly tells the dispatcher that her brother has a knife and is following her mother around the house, trying to stab her.

The dispatcher asks for a description of the teen, including his race and what he's wearing, but he cuts Ashley off when she tries to tell him more.

"Does this happen often?" the dispatcher asked.
"No," Ashley Childs said, "Paul's just being..."
"I don't need to know the story," the dispatcher said.

Helen Childs said her son looked up to police, and that one of the four officers who came to her house had helped retrieve him after he wandered away.

"The people he loved and trusted killed him," she said.

She said Paul suffered from seizures and was on medication and may have had trouble understanding commands.

Whitman did not say which officers had Taser guns or provide any other specifics at his Monday afternoon press conference.

"I'm not going to second-guess the officers that were thrust into that situation. I want the facts," he said.

Whitman said officers must react if they get too close to a suspect with a knife. But he said they also have an obligation to make sure they don't put themselves in a dangerous situation unnecessarily.

He offered condolences to the family and said he hoped an investigation will help the family with its healing process. After their investigation is complete, Denver police will turn their findings over to the District Attorney's Office.

Community leaders are accusing the Police Department of being racist and of using excessive force.

"I'm telling you all, that if you don't want another Benton Harbor in this city, you all better do something about this situation with our baby getting shot down," said Alvertis Simmons, a state organizer for the Million Man March.

"He was very gentle and I had no trust issues with this kid whatsoever," said Joel Noble, Paul's teacher at East High School.

According to Denver police, since 1990 there have been 17 police shootings where suspects were armed with knives. Six suspects were injured and 11 were killed. Three officers involved in those incidents were injured by a suspect's knife.

A study by a local paper found that from 1990 to 2000, Denver police shot and killed 35 people and wounded 56 others. Two officers were charged and both were acquitted. The study found that some similar-sized cities, such as Seattle and Fort Worth, had fewer shootings but that others, like Cleveland, had more.

On a related note, the family of a 39-year-old man killed by Denver police in July 2001 after he rammed three vehicles filed a lawsuit Monday against the department. Officers shot Richard Dutson, who was unarmed, 17 times after chasing him in a stolen car.

No charges were filed. Prosecutors said Dutson rammed vehicles police were using as cover, putting one officer in danger of being crushed.

A memorial service for Paul Childs is planned for 1 p.m. Saturday at Macedonia Baptist Church at 3240 Adams St.

A memorial fund has been set up for the family. To donate, send a check to:
Paul Nash Childs III Memorial
Zion Credit Union
6600 E. Colfax Ave.
Denver, CO 80220