Local

Family of Tech student killed by campus police to sue university

By Lauren Pozen, WSB-TV
By Lauren Pozen, WSB-TV

ATLANTA — The family of a Georgia Tech student who was shot and killed by a campus police officer told Channel 2 Action News it wants the officer held accountable.

Scout Schultz, 21, was killed Sept. 16 of last year. Schultz was a fourth-year computer engineering major and president of the Pride Alliance on campus. The student used the

singular they

pronouns reflected in this article.

Scout Schultz was identified as the victim of the Georgia Tech officer involved shooting

Georgia Bureau of Investigation officials said Schultz called campus police saying someone was standing outside their dorm with a knife and a gun. When police showed up, cellphone video shows them talking to a barefoot Schultz, who was yelling at police to shoot.

Police said the student had a knife but, the family said Schultz was having a mental breakdown and was holding a multipurpose tool that wasn't related to the shooting.

RELATED STORIES:

GBI identified the officer as Tyler Beck. According to his record, Beck did not have crisis intervention training.

In an exclusive interview with Channel 2 Action News last year, 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.

Beck has been on paid administrative leave since the shooting.

Parents of Scout Schultz 

Channel 2's Lauren Pozen spoke to Scout Schultz's father, Bill, who said he's frustrated with the legal system.

Nearly a year after the death of his child, no criminal charges have been filed in the case.

“My last memory of Scout is probably taking them to Walmart to buy their supplies for the coming school year," Bill Schultz said. “It really (was) just the one officer who put a bullet through Scout's heart."

Pozen checked with the Fulton County District Attorney's Office, who said the case is still under investigation.

Bill Schultz and his attorney told Pozen they've waited long enough and plan to file a civil lawsuit against the university.

"They are willing to do some of the public changes with the officers, but of course whenever it comes to writing a check, that’s a totally different ballgame," he said.

Some of those public changes the university's Police Department underwent include:

  • Crisis intervention training.
  • Extended use of force training.
  • Stun guns or officers who complete the training.
  • LGBTQIA student support.
  • A campus-wide initiative to improve mental health services.

“It is definitely a step in the right direction," Bill Schultz said.

So far, 87 percent of officers have received the crisis intervention training.

Although Scout Schultz wasn't able to finish senior year, a diploma was given to their parents from the university.

Cox Media Group

Most Read