Georgia Tech student Scout Schultz called 911 before being shot by campus police, the GBI reports.
Schultz called 911 alerting them “of a suspicious person on campus.” In the call, Schultz describes the person as a white male, with long blonde hair, white T-shirt and blue jeans who is possibly intoxicated, holding a knife and possibly armed with a gun on his hip,” the GBI said in a statement.
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Three suicide notes were located in Schultz’s dorm room. Two years ago, Schultz attempted suicide using a belt, the 21-year-old engineering student’s mother told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Schultz was shot dead wielding what attorney Chris Stewart described on Monday as a multipurpose utility tool, with the knife blade not extended.
On a video of the incident, Schultz can be heard telling police to shoot before one of four officers fired a fatal bullet to the chest.
Stewart said the family plans to file a civil suit against the university for an incident they say should’ve never happened.
"They overreacted. That's it," Stewart said Monday of Tech police. Four officers surrounded Schultz after receiving a 911 call. Only one of them fired his weapon after Schultz failed to obey commands.
Stewart criticized the university for pushing a narrative of a “knife-wielding” suspect who posed a danger to police.
“Why did you have to shoot?” Bill Schultz asked at a news conference Monday. “That’s the only question that matters right now. Why did you kill my son.”
Tech declined to comment on Monday, referring all questions to the GBI which is investigating the shooting.
Bill and Lynne Schultz described Scout as empathetic and brilliant, noting their oldest child attended Tech on a full scholarship.
Scout Schulz was president of Georgia Tech’s Pride Alliance, a student organization for LGBTQIA students and their allies.
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