After being denied treatment for mental illness, man runs down five, kills one - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

MSD · 04-16-2004, 06:42 PM

Quote:

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/South/04/....ap/index.html

RALEIGH, North Carolina (AP) -- The father of a man accused of going on a deadly hit-and-run rampage said he repeatedly warned mental health officials that his son was a danger to himself and others.

Abdullah El-Amin Shareef, 25, is charged with first-degree murder and three counts of first-degree attempted murder stemming from the hit-and-runs, in which five pedestrians were struck. One victim was killed, and another was critically injured.

Authorities said Shareef stole a Fayetteville city-owned van, then a truck, and drove across three counties seeking out pedestrians.

The younger Shareef was held without bond and taken to Dorothea Dix Hospital, the state's mental hospital.

"That's not the son I raised," Abdullah Shareef, 70, said by phone from a friend's home in Raeford late Wednesday. "He was an academically gifted child, a disciplined child. He has definitely always had a great respect for people."

Police and witnesses said the rampage began shortly after 7 a.m. Wednesday, with the theft of a city van in Fayetteville. It ended with Shareef's arrest a little over two hours later in Fuquay-Varina, more than 40 miles north.

Lonel Bearl Bass, 56, of Linden, died after he was hit by the van and pinned. Gary Lee Weller, 55, was in critical condition early Thursday at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill.

Also struck were David McCaskill and Robert Fortier in Cumberland County. McCaskill was hit while walking his two dogs, and said the driver beat him after an unsuccessful attempt to back over him.

"I was holding my hands above my head trying to block him. I asked him, 'What have I done to you?' but he never opened his mouth," said McCaskill, 65.

The attacker drove off when neighbors came out of their houses.

Neither man suffered life-threatening injuries. An unidentified victim was hit in Harnett County, apparently with a truck taken from Bass.

Shareef said his son had in recent years been troubled by psychological problems, family troubles and drug use.

He said the younger Shareef had been living at a Salvation Army shelter in Fayetteville for the past week, after a three-day stint at Dix Hospital in December and two short jail terms.

"He's had some difficulties," Shareef said. "We tried to help him."

Shareef said his son watched him endure a quadruple bypass at Thanksgiving. In December, the younger Shareef separated from his wife, with whom he had three children.

Shortly thereafter, Pauline Shareef -- the suspect's mother -- died of smoke inhalation suffered when the family's home burned down.

In January, Shareef said, his son was arrested in Virginia for trespassing on his mother-in-law's property.

"She knew he was behaving erratically and aggressively and didn't want him near the kids or his wife," Shareef said.

His son spent a few weeks in jail, then returned to Winston-Salem, where he had previously lived. But he was arrested in February and spent 45 days in jail for shoplifting.

Sometime last month, the elder Shareef said, Wendell police called to say they'd found his son in a daze on the side of a road. Because his own home had been destroyed and he was staying with friends, Shareef said he tried to find his son a shelter with counseling.

He said he brought his son to a mental hospital in Raeford, and repeatedly told workers there that his son was a danger to the public.

The elder Shareef said he grieved more for the victims of Wednesday's attacks and their families than he did for his son.

"But I also grieve that we have a system that when you say there's a problem there's no help offered until something tragic happens," he said.

When someone is recognized to be dangerous to himself and to others, what should be done? I would say that at least a temporary commitment to a psychiatric hospital for an evaluation is called for. If this sort of action had been taken, I don't think the attacks would have taken place.

Our society is beoming too reactionary. We brush everything under the carpet until it piles up and trips us. There is still a stigma associated with mental illness that prevents people from treating it as an illness; instead, they ignore it and avoid those who are ill instead of helping them to get the treatment they need.

KellyC · 04-16-2004, 08:11 PM

The people who denied him mental treatment also NEED some sort of treatment.

Hrothgar · 04-16-2004, 08:19 PM

Well you can only do so much. If someone is brought into a hospital you can only hold them involuntarily for 72 hours before they are released. We can't keep the mentally ill locked up indefinitely.

Xell101 · 04-17-2004, 02:20 PM

Too reactionary indeed, unless you have a good reason for doing some generally not considered kosher you're liable to get sued and financially screwed.

analog · 04-17-2004, 08:02 PM

There are ways of getting a person such care, but it requires some work. You have to file some paperwork and swear before a judge that your claims to a person's mental illness/danger are true and all accounts of yours to back it are accurate, etc., and then the judge can decide to have the person picked up. (I assume this process varies from state to state, but this is fairly basic as far as I know)

Once picked up, they are required to be given a psychoanalysis before being released.

Quote:

Originally posted by Hrothgar
We can't keep the mentally ill locked up indefinitely.

I believe we can, and I believe we should.

These people might be a danger- and seeing as we lock up criminals for being dangerous, this is no different- they just get treated better (we hope). As with so many things, your tune might change if (forbid it) the situation came knocking 'round your back door.

World's King · 04-18-2004, 02:06 AM

It wasn't me.

Stop wondering.

samiam · 04-18-2004, 05:54 AM

One of the problems is that we treat many cases of mental illness with pharmaceuticals. These make the patient feel better and they may then decide to go off their meds because they are "cured". There are other ways to treat many mental illnesses but they involve long-term care and support and this is expensive. Governments everywhere seem to be looking for ways to save money without considering the consequences.

raeanna74 · 04-18-2004, 01:39 PM

The bottom line is the money.

This is such a sad story. I can hardly imagine the horror of the victims and their families.

I'm really not surprised that he was refused care. My Dad was turned away from a psychiatric facility after multiple suicide attemps. He was given the emergency medical treatment to thwart his most recent attempt and sent home. If it were't for the cooperative persistence of his family and friends he would still be attempting suicide regularly - or dead. One man alone against the system could feel like a hopeless fight.

lurkette · 04-18-2004, 02:25 PM

It's sad - even for people who WANT mental health care it's often difficult to get the kind of long-term treatment they need unless they have the resources. NC's mental health care system has been absolutely gutted in terms of funding in recent years. I hope this is a wake-up call for our legislature. You might save in the short term, but the long-term costs are far greater. Cheaper to spend the money on prevention and early treatment than on litigation, incarceration, and institutionalization.

qtpye4u84 · 04-18-2004, 02:56 PM

All the people he hit with the truck or van were close in age like 55-56-65
I wonder why that was!?!
The people who would not give him mental treatment are feeling guilty now probably.
He might be a skitzo. Some times people dont know that they are or there familys dont know they can kinda hide there problem because they dont know it's a problem. My mom is and we did not know until she went to the attic and started yelling and ripping down the pink itchy stuff so we got her help and she is fine now when she takes her medication.
I hope he get's help where ever they put him for punishment.

04-16-2004, 08:11 PM	#2 (permalink)
KellyC Comment or else!! Location: Home sweet home	The people who denied him mental treatment also NEED some sort of treatment. __________________ Him: Ok, I have to ask, what do you believe? Me: Shit happens.

04-16-2004, 08:19 PM	#3 (permalink)
Hrothgar He's My Girl Location: The Champagne Douche	Well you can only do so much. If someone is brought into a hospital you can only hold them involuntarily for 72 hours before they are released. We can't keep the mentally ill locked up indefinitely. __________________ The fortunes of war favored Hrothgar.

04-18-2004, 02:06 AM	#6 (permalink)
World's King Here Location: Denver City Denver	It wasn't me. Stop wondering. __________________ heavy is the head that wears the crown

04-18-2004, 01:39 PM	#8 (permalink)
raeanna74 I'm not a blonde! I'm knot! I'm knot! I'm knot! Location: Upper Michigan	The bottom line is the money. This is such a sad story. I can hardly imagine the horror of the victims and their families. I'm really not surprised that he was refused care. My Dad was turned away from a psychiatric facility after multiple suicide attemps. He was given the emergency medical treatment to thwart his most recent attempt and sent home. If it were't for the cooperative persistence of his family and friends he would still be attempting suicide regularly - or dead. One man alone against the system could feel like a hopeless fight. __________________ "Always learn the rules so that you can break them properly." Dalai Lama My Karma just ran over your Dogma.

04-18-2004, 02:25 PM	#9 (permalink)
lurkette My future is coming on Moderator Emeritus Location: east of the sun and west of the moon	It's sad - even for people who WANT mental health care it's often difficult to get the kind of long-term treatment they need unless they have the resources. NC's mental health care system has been absolutely gutted in terms of funding in recent years. I hope this is a wake-up call for our legislature. You might save in the short term, but the long-term costs are far greater. Cheaper to spend the money on prevention and early treatment than on litigation, incarceration, and institutionalization. __________________ "If ten million people believe a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing." - Anatole France

04-17-2004, 02:20 PM	#4 (permalink)
Xell101 Junkie	Too reactionary indeed, unless you have a good reason for doing some generally not considered kosher you're liable to get sued and financially screwed.

04-18-2004, 05:54 AM	#7 (permalink)
samiam Crazy	One of the problems is that we treat many cases of mental illness with pharmaceuticals. These make the patient feel better and they may then decide to go off their meds because they are "cured". There are other ways to treat many mental illnesses but they involve long-term care and support and this is expensive. Governments everywhere seem to be looking for ways to save money without considering the consequences.

04-18-2004, 02:56 PM	#10 (permalink)
qtpye4u84 Flavor+noodles Location: oregon	All the people he hit with the truck or van were close in age like 55-56-65 I wonder why that was!?! The people who would not give him mental treatment are feeling guilty now probably. He might be a skitzo. Some times people dont know that they are or there familys dont know they can kinda hide there problem because they dont know it's a problem. My mom is and we did not know until she went to the attic and started yelling and ripping down the pink itchy stuff so we got her help and she is fine now when she takes her medication. I hope he get's help where ever they put him for punishment. __________________ The QTpie