26-year-old biology student, Alan Pean is a 26-year-old biology student with no criminal record and no history of violence.
On the night of August 26, 2015, Pean decided to drive himself to a local hospital in Houston after calling his family and telling them that he was having a mental episode.
When Pean arrived at St. Joseph Medical Center, he crashed his car just outside the hospital. He was admitted and treated for minor injuries.
Pean’s father, who’s also a physician, spoke with hospital administrators and asked them to perform a psychological examination on his son, informing the staff at the hospital that his soon had suffered a similar episode in 2009. It seems the hospital saw no cause for concern and decided to discharge Pean just minutes before the shooting the following morning. Here’s a statement from the police on what had transpired that morning.
“Officers Ortega and Law were working extra jobs as security at St. Joseph Medical Center at the above address when they were summoned to the eighth floor to help nurses subdue a combative patient. Once the officers arrived, the patient continued to refuse to comply with the nurses and officers’ demands. The patient suddenly physically assaulted Officer Ortega, striking him in the head, causing a laceration. At that time, Officer Law deployed his conducted energy device, which had no apparent effect on the suspect who continued to assault the officers. Officer Ortega, fearing for his and his partner’s safety, then discharged his duty weapon, striking the suspect one time.”
Pean’s family and medical professionals have expressed alarm by how his case was handled. They believe this shooting was the culmination of failures on many levels.
Following this case, health care professionals have started a petition condemning the presence of guns in hospitals and the treatment of the mentally ill by law enforcement in general which reads as follows.
“Personally, we stand in outrage for every time he is referred to as ‘combative’ without sub-clause or context, we stand in outrage for every time he is called a ‘suspect’ instead of a patient, we stand in outrage for every time he, one empty-handed, help-seeking man, is painted as a threat to two officers, able bodied and armed, in a hospital.
“Professionally, we have been trained in truth seeking and healing. As doctors and medical students, as nurses and care partners, we are trained in how to safely restrain and tranquilize patients, no matter how aggressive, or irritable, or anxious, or threatening they may be. Never is it appropriate or warranted for a patient to be tazed, never is it appropriate for a patient to be struck, never, never, never is it appropriate for a patient seeking care, to have their life threatened in our arms.
Personally and professionally, we are shaken by the reality of this epidemic of police brutality, in which no one– no son of a doctor, no college student, no tender-hearted soul of color remains immune. We stand with shaken hearts and rooted conviction, to speak our collective outrage for Alan Christopher Pean, our gentle friend, a 26 year old who was inexcusably shot in the chest by a police officer, while seeking care as a patient.”
Pean is recovering at home and is in outpatient care for a single gunshot wound to the chest. He shared his thoughts on Facebook,
“The anguish caused by trying to understand why (according to the hospital) this had to happen to me has only started. Is it because I look a bit different that I had to be shot without a second thought about my life or my personhood? I try not to think that’s the case, but I seem to find myself at that conclusion as I delve deeper into my case, as well as those similar to mine. I pray with all my heart that people change, and I have faith that we can for the better. I love myself, and I love humanity, but I don’t believe that humanity or American society willfully wants things to be this way…
“So I will fight until I know every person seeking medical help will have his or her right to pursue a better life protected. Keep guns out of places of healing. Help stop this madness, and let’s make our society a better place. Where love and understanding falters, confusion and hate breeds.”
Houston Police have charged Pean with 2 counts of assaulting police officers following the shooting.
Alan’s older brother, Christian, a 27-year old in his fourth year of medical school at Mt Sinai in New York City, is concerned about Alan’s fate and at the same time determined to protect others from going through the same thing. I spoke to him today after his brother was arraigned and he said,
“This entire ordeal has been an absolute nightmare for Alan and our family. We’re trying to trust the system and hope that truth prevails. Our main focus is just making sure Alan doesn’t go to prison right now. From my perspective and my father’s perspective as healthcare professionals, the entire thing still has us completely beside ourselves.
“However, at this time, all we can do is hope that Alan’s supporters continue to send love and compassion his way, and that we have more answers to how this could have happened, and how it can be considered appropriate in anyone’s eyes. We are of the belief that this should never happen to anyone again.”
Here’s a video report of this story followed by a radio interview with Pean’s older brother Christian.
