Vigil held in honor of Dante Kittrell calls for better protocol by law enforcement when dealing with mental health crises

 

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- A vigil was held on Monday night to honor the life of Dante Kittrell and demand change to how mental health crises are dealt with by law enforcement.

Community members also called for more transparency from the police investigation and said that the mayor's public statement was too little, too late.

Faith in Indiana, the group that coordinated the vigil and the press conference that preceded it, is frustrated at the lack of the use of mental health crisis intervention teams.

"There's outrage in the community because there was opportunity to access this, and it wasn't taken up," said David Springer, who helped organize the vigil.  "There's a history of this type of trauma being perpetrated against Black communities all across America, and this is just another example of what needs to change."

The group led the vigil and let the family release balloons while singing a church hymn.

To send a letter to the mayor on your behalf requesting better responses to mental health crises, text "Change" to 72572.