Dauda Handan is a 56-year-old Nigerian man who came to the United States almost thirty years ago on a prestigious Fulbright Scholarship. He studied literature at the University of Massachusetts, where he earned his Master’s Degree. For eighteen years, Dauda then worked for the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services as a union member, caring for severely developmentally-disabled adults at a group home. While struggling to support himself and provide for his family back in Nigeria, Dauda experienced a mental health crisis on the night of May 22, 2019. When his work supervisor received a concerning text message from Dauda, the supervisor called the Chicopee Police Department to request a wellness check. Two inexperienced but armed police officers responded to Dauda’s apartment. When Dauda opened the door for them while holding two knives with which he was attempting to kill himself, the police shot him -- twice with a taser gun and twice more with a firearm.

Fortunately, Dauda survived, but he has suffered a permanent injury to his right hand, lost his job at the group home, and is now unable to work. To add insult to injury, the Hampden County District Attorney has charged Dauda with assaulting the officers who shot him. Dauda maintains that he did not assault the officers, and neither of them suffered any injuries.

The shooting of Dauda Handan is yet another example of why sending armed police to address a mental health issue is not the right approach. And the DA’s decision to prosecute Mr. Handan is an unnecessarily punitive response to this tragic situation. In fact, the prosecution of Dauda Handan is the opposite of justice. We are therefore asking the Hampden County DA’s office to drop the charges against Mr. Handan.