DETROIT (WXYZ) — A Detroit family who lost two loved ones to gun violence is urging people to take mental health seriously, with Detroit police saying the Memorial Day tragedy stemmed from a mental health crisis.
Keechia Tompkins spoke with 7 News Detroit on Friday, saying she wants to save lives and families from the heartbreak her family is experiencing right now.
On May 27, she said her cousin, Kenneth Tompkins, had a mental breakdown and, according to police, shot and killed her nephew, John Howard Tompkins.
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“He’s been seeking help in therapy for years. He’s been working on his mental health for years. He’s had resources and support. So this didn’t just happen overnight. We knew he had mental illness but it never got to this bad,” Keechia Tompkins explained.
According to his family, he had been manic for about a week and hadn’t been able to sleep for several days, so just before Memorial Day he went to stay with his mother.
Kenneth Tompkins’ condition worsened and then tragedy struck.
Kenneth Tompkins’ Family
“He’s always been on his medication and he’s never had a seizure, so he’d have to be an adult for something like this to happen. He’s not here. He’s not in her care anymore. We don’t know what was going on before that day,” Keechia Thompkins explained.
Kenneth Tompkins’ family has said he did not own a gun, but it is unclear how he obtained one.
After police reportedly shot John Howard Tompkins, his family called 911. When police arrived and entered the home, Police Chief James White said there was an exchange of gunfire. The chief said it was not yet clear if any of the three bullets fired by officers struck Kenneth Tompkins, but investigators ultimately said he shot himself in the head.
John Howard Tompkins’ Family
His family wants to warn others to take precautions before the crisis escalates into violence.
“In the African-American community, don’t take mental illness lightly. It’s hard for us to trust. We have to learn how to trust the system. We expect the system to help us the best they can,” advised Keechia Tompkins.
“Just educate yourself. Research it. Even if it’s not in your family, research it. See what the signs are. It could be a friend or a friend of a friend who is having some issues.”
The Tompkins family has set up a GoFundMe to help with burial costs for their loved ones.
Detroit police told 7 News Detroit that it is department policy to release further information 45 days after an incident occurs.
