According to an account provided by the Berkshire District Attorney’s office, Miguel Estrella was having a mental health crisis when he was tased and then shot twice, fatally. The investigation into the incident is being overseen by DA Andrea Harrington.
NAACP chapter president Dennis Powell says that Estrella’s death is indicative of systemic issues with policing.
"Clearly, what they saw was a person of color, large in size which, unfortunately, the color of his skin represented a threat to the officers," Powell told WAMC. "It is inconceivable that these officers did not realize that this young man was in crisis and needed help."
Powell says the NAACP and other community groups are organizing a collective action in response.