this post was submitted on 22 Mar 2026
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Today I Learned

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Wow, great job, you save him from suicide... by killing him... ๐Ÿคฆโ€โ™‚๏ธ

Hall was born Chen Zhi Bo (Chinese: ้™ˆๅฟ—ๆณข) on October 31, 2001, in Shanghai, China. Shortly after his first birthday, he was adopted by Gareth J. Hall and Fe Hall, who are of African and Latino and Filipino descent respectively. He had his name officially changed to Christian Joseph Hall. As a child, he was diagnosed with reactive attachment disorder and later depression.

On December 30, 2020, Hall was dropped off at his workplace at a convenience store by his mother. He walked to an overpass of Pennsylvania Route 33 above Interstate 80 near mile marker 302A, and at 1:30 p.m., Hall called emergency services to report a "suicider", resulting in the arrival of police. Footage of the scene showed him pacing around and clutching what appears to be a gun. Initial reports said Hall placed it on the ground after being ordered to do so, and began negotiating with the officers, but soon picked it up again. Around 1:38 p.m., Hall was shot seven times by the troopers.

He was taken to the Lehigh Valley Hospital-Pocono in East Stroudsburg, where he later died from his injuries.

Initial reports from authorities stated that when the officers told Hall to put the gun on the ground, he complied, but at one point during negotiations, he picked up the gun and pointed it in the direction of the police, causing them to shoot him. A video of the incident with evidence contradicting the claims surfaced in February 2021. The video shows Hall raising his hands before he is shot and falls.

According to his family, Hall reported that he had been experiencing a mental health problem. Fe Hall told WNEP-TV, "He needed help. He was looking for help, but instead of getting help, he was killed in cold blood by those who were supposed to help him." Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump also stated that Hall was in need of help and seemed to be contemplating suicide.

Also, I think my mom would've read this story and be like: "Is this what you want your future to be?"

Like... the fuck? You think I chose depression? Jesus christ...

Also: I wanna comment on the adoption thing...

Dude must've have an identity crisis lol... I mean I as an ethnic Chinese still have my Bio-parents and I already sort of have an identity crisis for being so young when I arrived in the US...

Him having different ethnicity parents must be extremely confusing coupled with the adoption thing, and being in a white majority country and facing perpetual foreigner stereotype and racism while simultaneously having zero connections to your ancestral culture...

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[โ€“] eestileib@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 2 hours ago

Judge Dredd was prophecy

[โ€“] uberdroog@lemmy.world 19 points 6 hours ago (2 children)

This happens more than one would like to admit. Cops are not your friend and not trained to deal with the public in any sensible way.

[โ€“] Keshara@piefed.world 5 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

I don't have any first hand experience with US police, but here in Australia I tend to notice we have one major issue with our cops, no life experience.

For us, the worst of the bunch I see are almost always the younger police. Straight out of education into policing the community they have not been a part of in their whole life. How can we expect police to be able to make a positive impact on the community if they have never been an active adult part of that community?

Of course there are exceptions to this, but unfortunately they're exceptions, not the rule

[โ€“] michaelalf@lemmy.world 4 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

Yep, the best cops in Australia are the ones who've been on the job for 30+ years in a country town. "Mate, saw you doing 140Km/h on the way to the tip, try and slow it down a bit".

[โ€“] Keshara@piefed.world 3 points 3 hours ago

I've had a very similar experience on the bike haha. A few years ago I got my first 'full licence' bike (04 CBR600rr), went on a big ride with a friend out into Central NSW and down into Victoria. When we were still in NSW (I forget exactly where we were now), I got pulled over at 180kph on a 80kph straight stretch of road. The cop gave me an earfull like a disappointed parent, then proceeded to show me pictures of his zx10, then politely asked to at least keep it below 130 while on those country roads.

He treated me with respect while still doing his job, and I can tell you now I didn't go above 130 after meeting him.

Oh and yeah, he was an "older" cop, like late 40s if I was to guess

[โ€“] PunnyName@lemmy.world 2 points 6 hours ago

Which is why they need to be defunded, and that funding needs to go to other public safety services.

Yep cops love to kills people in mental health crises.

[โ€“] boredsquirrel@slrpnk.net 0 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

The title is very confusing.

[โ€“] DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

This is what I get for having a brain that thinks in two languages...

(Any suggestions then?)

[โ€“] boredsquirrel@slrpnk.net 4 points 1 hour ago

It sounds like the suicidal person and the guy are not the same. Or that the guy responded, not the cops.

[โ€“] thisbenzingring@lemmy.today 4 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

one day, I looked out my window, and I see this dude. white guy with tattoos but no shirt and only one shoe. walking down the center of the street.

i live in a corner of a notorious neighborhood. my corner is the good side by all accounts. the other side is nicknamed "felony flats" and probably other negatives. the city I live in has a few bad neighborhoods and this is generally considered one of the few that you might get shot in.

so I see this guy and I know he needs help, and I want to call 911 but I'm conflicted because half of my internal dialogue is that the cops are going to kill him

i didn't call. because even though he's clearly a danger to himself, he wasn't threatening anyone else

I think of that dude a lot

yeah that tattoo thing was gonna get him killed, cops love to stereotype

[โ€“] lath@piefed.social 2 points 4 hours ago

Reminds me of an old article. I forgot the details, but it was about a suicidal man who failed his attempt and was arrested in a country where suicide was illegal and punishable by death.

No idea what happened to him or if it was even true, but this reminds me of that.

[โ€“] peacefulpixel@lemmy.world 2 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

every single time you call the police, no matter what you're calling them for, weigh the fact that there is a very serious chance that anyone involved could be seriously hurt, murdered, or in jail for the next 20-30 years unless you're willing to pay thousands of dollars. that blood will end up on the pigs AND your hands. it's literally never worth it. ACAB

[โ€“] ripcord@lemmy.world 2 points 4 hours ago

Yes, especially if you point a gun at the cops

[โ€“] aeronmelon@lemmy.world 8 points 7 hours ago (2 children)

Future generation are going to read about the United Srates in disbelief and not be able to comprehend how things could be so bad without an open revolt from the public.

[โ€“] Typhoon@lemmy.ca 2 points 3 hours ago

People in other countries already do

[โ€“] PunnyName@lemmy.world 2 points 6 hours ago

Build a country with slaves, and do literally everything possible to keep them in whatever "capitalist" form possible.

[โ€“] Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world 8 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

What? They were just helping! He wanted to die, now he's dead. They did it!!! Yay!!!

/s with the HEAVIEST of sarcasm intended.

I bet cops respond to mental health calls as if they're visiting a shooting range with realistic moving targets, probably don't even see them as humans.