Autistic teen dies after being shot by Cal City police

CALUMET CITY | Calumet City Police Chief Edward Gilmore defended the actions of his officers Wednesday after they shot a 15-year-old autistic boy, who later died.

Officers shot Stephon Watts after responding to a domestic disturbance call at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday at Watts' family home, 541 Forsythe Ave., Gilmore said at a news conference.

NBC 5 reports police were called initially following a dispute between Watts and his father over computer use.

Family members said the teen charged at one of the officers with a butter knife and was shot twice in the head by police, according to NBC 5.

Gilmore disputed the family's account, saying two officers each fired one shot into Watts' chest after the 5-foot-10-inch 220-pound teen had cut the left forearm of one of the officers with a kitchen knife.

Officers had gone into the family's basement to look for Watts and found themselves trapped, Gilmore said. Watts was transported to Franciscan St. Margaret Health hospital in Hammond, where he later died. The officer was treated at the scene by paramedics.

Gilmore said police had been called to the home 12 times since June 2010, and 10 of those times had been to deal with Watts.

"The officer felt he had to defend himself," Gilmore said of the officer who reportedly was cut.

Gilmore said his officers had training in February 2011 for dealing with an autistic person and had used Tasers in the past to subdue Watts on other occasions.

In Wednesday's incident, one of the officers who shot Watts did have a Taser, Gilmore said.

But Gilmore said his officers were in a situation where deadly force was needed, saying Watts had dictated the outcome by attacking the officer.

"He drew the line as to how the situation was to be handled," Gilmore said.

Gilmore said Watts had been taken in for psychiatric evaluations on several occasions.

"Regretfully this had to end in the death of a young man," Gilmore said.

Outside the police station at 1200 Pulaski Road, Watts' mother could be seen crying hysterically over the boy's death.

NBC 5 spoke to one of the boy's family members.

"They knew how he was," said the teen's uncle Wayne Watts, referring to the boy's autism. "They could have (used their Taser) on him."

Gilmore said the Illinois State Police are handling the death investigation, and the officers involved are on paid administrative leave.

Gilmore offered his condolences to the family.

"They will realize we have done the best job we could as we have done numerous times in the past," he said.