LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A Facebook live video shows three Louisville Metro Police (LMPD) officers at Kabira Yakini's door on Wednesday after she said someone called police to check on her mental health.
One officer is shown with a hand on the door, but Yakini refuses to let them in, saying she doesn't feel safe.
Nearly two minutes later, an officer from behind pushes the door open, throwing Yakini to the ground.
"I am grateful to be standing here right now," she said.
Yakini said she's been battling depression, and the officers' actions caused her even more emotional distress that has left her and her children traumatized.
"They had both of their arms on my wrist, I have knots on my arms," she said.
After being taken to U of L Hospital by police, Yakini said she just learned about the deflection program that launched in 2022.
It provides crisis triage workers to cases when a 911 dispatcher senses a mental or behavioral health issue, and no violence.
Those workers can offer emotional support while de-escalating mental health crisis.
"I just learned that also you can ask for a yellow EMS when there is a mental health crisis," Yakini said. "Why are we sending 911 to people's doors who are already mentally distraught?"
She lives in District 3 under Councilwoman Shameka Parrish-Wright, who reached out to LMPD Deputy Chief, Steve Healey. He's trying to find answers.
"What I saw, it hurt me," Parrish-Wright said.
She shared the 988 number that is available statewide to Kentuckians in mental distress.
"I immediately thought of the deflection program," Parrish-Wright said.
Yakini and others hope this brings awareness and a better approach when responding to a mental health crisis.
WHAS11 asked LMPD for further details about this incident, like the type of call officers were responding to. In a statement, they told WHAS11 News they were monitoring the situation.
The department responded Saturday morning, providing LMPD's policy regarding mental health runs.
According to the spokesperson, Yakini told officers on the scene she was making plans to harm herself. LMPD said the original 911 caller was concerned after seeing one of her recent live streams on social media.
"The officers had reasonable grounds to believe that the consumer was in crisis and their belief rose beyond mere suspicion," LMPD said. "Once the woman indicated she intended to harm herself to the officers, the officers are duty-bound to intervene and transport her to a facility that provides mental health services."
If anyone is having a mental health crisis contact the Crisis Call Diversion Program (CCDP), known as deflection, at 502-574-7111.
LMPD also provided these resources:
- Crisis Text Line: Text LOU to 741741
- Seven Counties Services
24/7 Adult Crisis Line (502) 589-4313
24/7 Child Crisis Line (502) 589-8070 - National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Spanish): 988
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Options for Deaf and Hard of Hearing): (800) 799-4889
- Veterans Crisis Line: (800) 273-8255 Press 1
- Trevor Project: LGBTQ+ Community: 866-488-7386
- Trans Lifeline: (877) 565-8860
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