The Stranger at the Door
A man exhibiting signs of mental distress was taken into custody after attempting to enter a Tacoma residence.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
George Shepard, believed to be insane, was arrested this noon by Detective D. O. Smith after making an attempt to gain admittance to the Kaufman home, 808 South Yakima Ave. The man went to the front door of the residence and demanded admittance, saying that his sick wife was confined within. The occupants sent for the police and managed to entertain Shepard until the officer arrived. Shepard will be examined by a lunacy commission.
“The occupants sent for the police and managed to entertain Shepard until the officer arrived.”
Historical accounts of mental health crises were often coded with labels like 'insane' and managed via the criminal justice system. Today's efforts to develop mobile crisis response teams are a direct response to the inadequacy of police intervention for individuals experiencing mental health episodes.
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