Hospital releases statement following death of Jeffersonville man shot by police
Mar. 13—JEFFERSONVILLE — Clark Memorial Health released a statement to the News and Tribune on Monday following the death of an armed man who was shot by Jeffersonville Police last week.
Police said the man, Robert William Atkins, requested a mental health evaluation and was taken by EMS to the hospital in Jeffersonville the day before the Thursday shooting.
"Clark Memorial Health is deeply saddened by the shooting that occurred in our community (last) week, and our hearts go out to the victim and his family," said hospital spokesperson Angie Glotzbach. "Our top priority is to provide high quality, safe and compassionate care to every individual who enters our facilities. As required by law, we protect the privacy of all of our patients, so we cannot discuss the specifics of any patient treated at our hospital. We ask that you direct any inquiries to the local and state authorities who are investigating this matter. Thank you for your understanding. "
According to Indiana State Police, Atkins, 44, died at University of Louisville Hospital on Sunday.
Police made contact with Atkins on Wednesday, the day before the shooting, outside of a church on Allison Lane in Jeffersonville.
Police said the officer followed JPD policy and made a call for EMS to take Atkins to the hospital and he was transported to Clark Memorial Health that morning.
The shooting occurred at an apartment complex along Eighth Street on Thursday night. Someone called police and said they saw Atkins waving a gun around the complex that evening. Police said he was shooting the gun into the air and then aimed it at officers. Three JPD officers fired their weapons.
A total of five JPD officers have received temporary assignments after the shooting. Police said there is body camera video available of the shooting and it will be made public in the future.
Clark Memorial Health Behavioral Health Services Director Aaron Edwards said there's been an uptick in people looking to Clark Memorial Health for mental health services since the start of the pandemic.
Typically, when someone comes to the emergency department for a behavioral health evaluation, Edwards said providers evaluate the level of crisis the person is in and then work with other healthcare workers to figure out the best treatment option for the patient.
Edwards said the best outcome is to get patients connected with outpatient mental health services through Clark Memorial Health.
If inpatient services are deemed more appropriate, providers will give an order to admit the patient to the hospital, he said.
If a patient doesn't want to be admitted, the hospital system can ask for an emergency detention order from a judge. He said this is commonly known as a 72-hour hold.
He encourages anyone who's having emergency mental health issues to seek help.
"If they are concerned they should probably come to the Emergency Room because it's hard to put that control into somebody's hand to judge how much of a risk they are," Edwards said. "It would be best to be evaluated by a professional...if they get to the point where they are desperate for help, they should come to the ER to get an evaluation."
Edwards said the more people talk about mental health, the better.
"The more people ask for help, the more likely we break that stigma," he said. "You can't be afraid, you have to do it for yourself or loved ones."
