‘Their worst nightmare’: Mother of man with autism fatally shot by police in Columbia speaks out
By Tori Yorgey
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COLUMBIA, Maryland (WBAL) — The family of the man involved in a Howard County police shooting on Sunday is speaking out following the incident.
Alexander LaMorie, 25, called 911 around midnight on Sunday, according to his family. The family said LaMorie had autism and lived in the Patuxent Commons Apartment Complex, which is a mixed-income development with about 25% of units set aside to help serve individuals with disabilities.
According to Howard County police, officers were called to the complex off of Freetown Road around midnight Sunday for a man threatening to harm himself. Police said officers encountered a man with a knife walking toward them and refused to drop it when ordered to. That’s when three officers fired their weapons, hitting and killing LaMorie.
Per protocol, the Independent Investigations Division (IID) of the Maryland Office of the Attorney General is investigating the shooting. The involved officers are identified as officers Joel Rodriguez, a two-year veteran, and Cody Bostic, a six-year veteran, along with PFC Joseph Riebau, a 10-year veteran. All officers are assigned to the Field Operations Command.
In a statement to WBAL-TV 11 News on Wednesday, Jill Harrington, LaMorie’s mother, said:
“Every parent of a child with autism knows this is their worst nightmare. Alex was in crisis and called for help, and first responders must be better trained to prevent tragic outcomes instead of contributing to them. People who knew Alex or are moved by his tragic and unnecessary death should pick up the phone to their state and federal representatives to demand better for the most vulnerable members of our society from those who are sworn to protect our communities. “As a veteran-military family and children and grandchildren of first responders (police and fire), we are horrified and are suffering more than the horrors of traumatic grief — we are suffering the systematic, betrayal-based moral injury that comes when those sworn to protect choose to end a life instead of exhausting every effort to save one. “We are suffering the betrayal of the fundamental values of service to our nation — to defend and protect life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness — and the sworn duty of first responders to protect, not harm, those they are called to help. “Persons with autism who are in crisis must never be viewed as expendable. Alex deserved understanding, de-escalation, and safe care in his moment of greatest need.”
Ami Neiberger, a friend of the family, said in a statement:
“The event which occurred during the early morning of March 1, 2026, is very difficult for us, as a family, to understand. Nevertheless, everyone who knew and loved Alexander (Alex) LaMorie is deeply saddened and shocked by his death which occurred after he called for a ‘wellness check.’ “Alex was a kind, loving, and enthusiastic person, and a bright light in the community. While Alex faced challenges related to his autism, he was able to function with it in his daily life and refused to be hampered by it. He was 25 years old, had earned an associate’s degree and was a student at the University of Maryland Global Campus. “He was excited to be a part of the Patuxent Commons Community, which is full of caring and support for people with autism. He served on the advisory board for the Autism and Grief Project with the Hospice Foundation of America. Alex spoke publicly about autism and presented on panels at the San Diego Comic Con and before the Association for Death Education and Counseling where he offered help and advocacy for those experiencing grief and loss. Like many others with autism, he was dedicated and involved with keeping himself healthy and stable. If the circumstances required, he had a safety plan and knew to call others for help. “Alex was raised by a loving and caring mom and grew up in a military-veteran family. He was the great-grandson of a retired New York City policeman and grandson of a New York City Firefighter. Alex was known and loved by many in the grief, disability and military-veteran community.” LaMorie was involved with the Hospice Foundation of America. The organization’s president shared a statement with WBAL-TV 11 News about LaMorie, an “important voice in our work to raise awareness about the experience of grief as an autistic adult,” saying, in part:
“He served as an advisory board member for a special project we recently completed, AustismandGrief.org, a website for adults with autism who have experienced loss, their family members, clinicians, and clergy. He participated in podcasts, interviews, and presentations about the website. We loved working with Alex. His intelligence and kind manner left a lasting impression on all of us.” Howard County police told WBAL-TV 11 News that roughly 80% of their officers are certified members of their Crisis Intervention Teams to more effectively and safely interact with people with mental health issues and intellectual disabilities. HCPD said of the three officers involved in this incident, two were CIT-trained, and the third was a specially trained negotiator.
HCPD added they strongly encourage families to register in their voluntary 911 flagging program to be added into their database and alert police when responding to calls involving individuals who may have mental or physical health issues, or disabilities.
The OAG said all three officers were equipped with body cameras, and their IID office will release body-worn camera footage — typically within 20 days of an incident.
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