I'm sure I am not the only father of a special needs child who has explained that police officers help those in need and keep us safe—they are good—but should be avoided at all costs. This is not a bash the police post. 1/ https://twitter.com/JackMurphyRGR/status/1308553606019383298

It is merely to state some truths that more than a few families like mine go through but do not share with others. It is not uncommon to weather meltdowns and other outbursts of violence. Family members are often targets. Our families operate under chronic stress. 2/

I've locked myself in bathrooms/in my room, had property destroyed, wondered if I could protect my wife. Taken all sorts of measures to de-escalate situations. Occasionally I've been blind-sided. I would never, under any circumstance, call the police for assistance. 3/

I am not criticizing the mother of this young man for doing so. I just know that young men who present themselves as sturdy 185 pounders, but who cannot effectively execute commands from those in law enforcement are a recipe for disaster. 4/

I would take all the outbursts in the world before I would subject my son to an officer who doesn't know him and likely has received little to no training in de-escalating situations with those on the autism spectrum. 5/

I am not posting this to take away from the pain that other families and communities may feel, but to share a different perspective. In my experience, society reacts to people on the autism spectrum differently as they age. 6/

A 5 y/o having a meltdown at Giant is an inconvenience for a shopper. An 18 y/o is a threat. Trust me, I see the difference in how people look. That is when I say my son's name. It's a warning to those around that I see them. As soon as I do this, 1/2 of them get it. 7/

As for this video, I simply do not have the words. I would like to say that I am stunned, but I am not. Christine and I have discussed this very scenario numerous times as we dose off to sleep—we operate under chronic stress.

"I don't feel good. Tell my Mom I love her."