Police say Balmer’s mother contacted them on April 10, two days before the attack, due to Cody’s ‘irritable and agitated’ behavior, that he stopped taking his medication a year ago, and that he had suddenly left their house.
Christie told officers that days prior, on April 6, she called Crisis Intervention to report her concern, but because Balmer hadn’t made threats to himself or others, it did not meet the threshold for an involuntary mental health evaluation. Police say Christie noted the decision to call Crisis Intervention further infuriated Cody.
Police say they were led to a hotel in Shippensburg where Balmer had been staying. The front desk clerk at that hotel told officers that Balmer had checked out earlier in the day and “appeared fine,” per police.
Christie also told police that Cody had a history of disappearing to various states in the past and that another family member was not concerned about his well-being.
According to Penbrook Police, individuals may only be involuntarily committed when they are:
- Presenting a clear and present danger to others
- Unable to self-care
- Attempting suicide or expressing suicidal or homicidal ideations
- Self-mutilating
“A 302 can occur without a warrant in a situation where a person’s observed behavior requires an emergency involuntary commitment,” said Penbrook Police. “For this to happen, a physician or peace officer must personally observe an individual behaving in a way that constitutes belief that they are mentally disabled and need immediate treatment. The police cannot petition a 302 based upon hearsay. The conduct must be personally observed.”
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