Agencies:
Phoenix Police Department Arizona
Cause of death: shooting
Last updated: 8 months ago
Overview 
Michelle Cusseaux, 50, was shot at her apartment after she threatened a police officer and three other officers with a hammer, authorities said. The officers said they were serving a court order to transport the woman to an in-patient mental-health facility at the request of her mother when the woman met them at the door with a hammer.
At the time of her death, Cusseaux suffered from bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and depression. On August 14, 2014, Cusseaux grew agitated when a cab didn’t show up to take her to the hospital; just a week earlier, she’d filed a grievance on previous transportation failures. Cusseaux called a Southwest Network health facility, and Office Manager Jamey Helms found her comments to be threatening. Helms called the police to make what is formally known as a mental health petition.
Critics, while acknowledging that police face danger in many forms during the course of a day's work, and a hammer can be a deadly weapon. point out that the four officers involved knew they were dealing with a seriously mentally ill woman and should have been ready with non-lethal means of controlling her.
Legal Action 
In September 2015, the Phoenix Police Department's Use of Force Board ruled that the officer who fatally shot Michelle Cusseaux, Sergeant Percy Dupra, was in violation of department policy.
Community and Family Efforts 
#SayHerName
May 2015 #SayHerName vigil NYC
August 2015 Rally
February 2016 Petition
Additional Resources:
-
https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/phoenix-cop-who-killed-michelle-cusseaux-violated-department-policy-ppd-board-rules-7670775
added August 14, 2020 19:50
-
http://www.womeninandbeyond.org/?p=19119
added August 10, 2016 07:07
-
http://www.cbs5az.com/story/28852387/phoenix-pds-mental-health-squad-looks-to-reduce-violent-encounters?autostart=true
added June 27, 2016 23:57
-
https://www.facebook.com/asoftratchet/posts/264638800409467
added March 09, 2016 07:04
-
https://www.facebook.com/geoff.woods.148/posts/10204842926344638
added March 09, 2016 07:00
-
https://www.facebook.com/thesandersfirmpc/photos/a.223021074433752.51097.143206829081844/827930963942757/?type=3
added March 09, 2016 06:59
-
https://www.facebook.com/12news/photos/a.62388959014.69061.32616834014/10152691377759015/?type=3
added March 09, 2016 06:58
-
https://www.facebook.com/ABC15/photos/a.151332821358.116295.18356341358/10153238303436359/?type=3
added March 09, 2016 06:58
-
https://www.facebook.com/Womankind/photos/a.166829696672869.32435.164362913586214/932654923423672/?type=3
added March 09, 2016 06:57
-
https://www.facebook.com/TheBruceStJamesAndPamelaHughesShow/posts/852563864761390
added March 09, 2016 06:56
-
https://www.facebook.com/FOX10Phoenix/posts/803051399743409
added March 09, 2016 06:55
-
https://www.facebook.com/FOX10Phoenix/posts/715371461844737
added March 09, 2016 06:54
-
https://www.facebook.com/ContactReverendMaupin/posts/1058254640877030
added March 09, 2016 06:53
-
https://www.facebook.com/vday/videos/10153556649943702/
added March 09, 2016 06:53
-
https://www.facebook.com/azcentral/posts/10153262787644032
added March 09, 2016 06:50
-
https://www.facebook.com/FOX10Phoenix/posts/923342307714317
added March 09, 2016 06:48
-
https://www.facebook.com/rememberingMichelleCusseaux/posts/1117299751627571
added March 09, 2016 06:44
-
https://www.facebook.com/FOX10Phoenix/posts/905598819488666
added March 09, 2016 06:39
-
https://www.facebook.com/vday/photos/a.432632998701.207263.12690173701/10153437696783702/?type=3
added March 09, 2016 06:36
-
https://www.facebook.com/democracynow/posts/10153265318678279
added March 09, 2016 06:35
-
https://www.facebook.com/max.dashu/posts/10156406437325372
added March 09, 2016 06:34
-
http://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/editorial/2014/08/18/michelle-cusseaux-mental-illness/14266383/
added March 09, 2016 06:33
-
http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2014/08/16/phoenix-shooting-family-questions-police-force-abrk/14176405/
added March 09, 2016 06:33
-
http://justice.gawker.com/what-michelle-cusseauxs-death-says-about-arizonas-menta-1702614985
added March 08, 2016 20:44