CATOOSA, Okla. — After Rogers County deputies shot and killed a man who barricaded himself in a Catoosa business on Wednesday, the Rogers County sheriff believes it was mental health related.
Authorities say 39-year-old William Fairweather barricaded himself inside a Valmont Utility building and shot at deputies with a nail gun before they shot him.
Retired Tulsa homicide sergeant and true crime expert Dave Walker has investigated a number of similar cases.
“We in law enforcement don’t get signed up to take a nail to the noggin," Walker said.
Walker said he believes there should be more help for people suffering from mental health issues, and the burden placed on law enforcement is a shame.
“These people that need assistance are then kicked to the street or to the families and the families can’t handle them," Walker said. "We, as law enforcement, get called when society says it’s time to do something with them.”
Rogers County Sheriff Scott Walton says most of his department’s calls lately are mental health-related, and he believes Wednesday's incident is too. Walker says it’s been that way in Oklahoma for almost 10 years.
“We’ve seen the increase in mental health calls ever since the state has closed their drug housing, mental health housing, the hospitals and that sort of thing," Walker said. "If we don't put a handle on it, we're going to be in some trouble."
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