Ga. Tech officer who killed student did not have crisis intervention training

ATLANTA — Channel 2 Action News has obtained the background of the Georgia Tech officer who fired the shot that killed student Scout Schultz.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation identified the officer as Tyler Beck. According to his record, Beck did not have crisis intervention training.

GBI Director Vernon Kennan told Channel 2 investigative reporter Mark Winne that crisis intervention training gives officers skills to recognize someone in psychiatric crisis and deal with it appropriately.

Keenan said he is limited in what he can say about the fatal shooting of Schulz, because his agency is investigating. But, Kennan said the incident shines a light on whether Tech police should be carrying stun guns and the importance of the potentially lifesaving importance of crisis intervention training.

“It is not going to prevent the use of force in all instances where you’re dealing with someone in psychiatric crisis but an officer at least has skills to rely on,” Keenan said. Winne learned that 22 of the 89 Georgia Tech police officers have received crisis intervention training.

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Records show Beck underwent training for use of force and de-escalation options for gaining compliance in June. He then underwent cultural awareness training in February.

Keenan told Winne that Gov. Nathan Deal and the state Legislature have recognized the need for more crisis intervention training when funding was approved earlier this year to greatly expand the program.“There is currently a waiting list,” Keenan told Winne.

In a newly released 911 call, Schultz called police and told them that a man was walking around the dorms Saturday with a knife in his hand and possibly "a gun on his hip." Four officers responded and that's when authorities said Schultz ignored the officers' demands to drop a weapon in his hand. They said Schultz approached the officers, despite continuous commands.The GBI said that is when Beck shot Schultz.

Schultz was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital and later died, the GBI said.

Beck had been with the Police Department since May 2016.

Cox Media Group