He screamed, "Shoot me". And you'll never guess what the police did.
An engineering student who was also an LGBTQ activist was shot and killed by Georgia Tech campus police on Saturday night, officials said Sunday.
I'm not sure why the second part is relevant.
The school identified the victim as Scout Schultz, 21, a fourth-year engineering student from Lilburn, Georgia, who police said was armed with a knife. Schultz, president of Georgia Tech's Pride Alliance, identified as non-binary and intersex and preferred to be referred to with they/them gender pronouns,
Also, somewhat more relevantly...
Police made contact with Schultz outside a campus parking garage after they received a 911 call at 11:17 p.m. on Saturday, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The original call reported that Schultz was also carrying a gun, officials said.
In a video taken by a witness, Schultz can be heard yelling "Shoot me!" at police, as they give orders to drop the knife.
So, to summarize, it's the fault of the police.
"Nobody wants to hurt you," an officer says in the video.
But as Schultz continued to ignore the officers' commands and stepped forward with the knife, a single shot rang out, and Schultz's screams could be heard.
The officer who pulled the trigger wasn't named, and it was unclear whether any disciplinary action would be taken.
For what exactly?
Shooting a knife wielding assailant who shouted, "Shoot me."
"Our son, Scout Schultz, was killed last night by the Georgia Tech police," Schultz's father, William Schultz, wrote on Facebook. "He had a tiny knife. They didn't have to shoot him in the heart, but that's what they did. Antifa activists beware!"
He didn't have to advance on them while wielding a "tiny knife" either.
The Pride Alliance said in a statement that Scout Schultz's "leadership allowed us to create change across campus and in the Atlanta community.
"Scout always reminded us to think critically about the intersection of identities and how a multitude of factors play into one's experience on Tech's campus and beyond," it said.
Also the intersection between a knife and a gun.
"Scout’s sudden and tragic death today has been devastating news for the Schultz family, classmates, and for members of the community who knew Scout personally, the shock and grief are particularly acute," Vice President of Student Life and Dean of Students John Stein said in a statement.
Maybe spare a thought for the people who felt threatened by Schultz, including the police officer who was forced to shoot him.