COLUMBUS, Ohio — The family of a man shot by a Columbus police officer during a mental health turned domestic violence call is speaking out.
Yolanda Frierson said her brother 36-year-old Michael Frierson was experiencing a mental health episode on Wedensday.
Yolanda said her brother struggled with mental health all his life, adding that Michael was diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
“As his sister, my intent was to get him some help and to make sure they were very well informed and for it to go the total opposite way, it broke my heart,” Yolanda.
She said earlier in the day, she noticed signs of her brother growing irate. She said Wednesday night, he was at their mother's home on Sullivant Avenue.
Yolanda went over to check on Michael and make sure he calmed down. She said he grew more confrontational and headbutted her and hit their other sibling.
She said after several minutes, she stepped out to call the police. Frierson said she called the non-emergency line, hoping to get help for her brother and get him to a hospital for his mental health.
Yolanda said she explained the situation to the dispatcher and wanted an alternative crisis response for the situation — teams that are separate from Columbus police that focus on mental health issues.
According to Columbus police, arriving officers determined that the incident involved domestic violence and that the person inside the apartment needed to be arrested.
“It was labeled in our run as a mental health call, but the immediate details of the run were that the caller said this individual had already assaulted two people. Once that happens, the alternative response goes away because we now have a domestic violence situation,” said Columbus Police Sgt. Joe Albert.
Police said officers contacted Michael who refused to come outside after being asked several times and remained inside the apartment with several other people.
After he refused to come out, police say officers forced entry into the apartment by trying to kick the door open to take him into custody. As they started to enter, police say Michael struck an officer in the face with a "potential weapon" in his hands. An officer fired his weapon multiple times, striking Michael.
He was rushed to Grant Medical Center in critical condition. Michael’s family said he was shot at least two times — once in his chest area and once in the stomach area.
He is currently charged with domestic violence and felonious assault against a peace officer.
His aunt Yolanda Fairfax said police were called for help, but it made the situation worse.
“So instead of de-escalating they made it worse,” said Fairfax.
Michael's sister said she’s not mad at her brother and said he didn’t hold anyone hostage within the home.
“It was overboard,” she said.
Because of Marsy's Law, police are not naming the officer who shot Frierson, but say he has been with the department for four years. No officers or anyone else in the apartment were injured.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is investigating the shooting.