Man shot by Jeffersonville Police had 'PTSD,' according to mother

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A southern Indiana woman said her son was shot by Jeffersonville police on Thursday.

According to Indiana State Police Sgt. Carey Huls, around 7 p.m. Jeffersonville Police responded on a report that a man was walking around an apartment complex on East 8th Street with a handgun. Huls said the man fired a shot in the air "in front of the officers," then pointed the gun at the officers. That's when at least one Jeffersonville Police officer shot the man in return.

Robert Atkins was taken to the hospital in critical condition after the shooting, according to his mother, Ramona Swango.

"Your mom would not want you laying in the hospital like this," Swango said. "He had his life I thought at the best he could have it."

Swango said her 44-year-old son worked at the VA and loved Jeffersonville.

According to Swango, he is a military veteran who served three tours in Afghanistan.

"He had PTSD really bad," Swango said.

JEFFERSONVILLE SHOOTING FOLO — Ramona Swango speaks to WDRB News on March 11, 2023.

On Friday, officials said when police arrived on scene a man shot in the air multiple times and then pointed the gun at police. Three officers shot the man and then performed life-saving measures, police said.

"If I were to pull a firearm out and start pulling the trigger that's a clear action taken by me or any individual that I will use or apply deadly force," said Jeffersonville Police Chief Kenny Kavanaugh. "We have to understand and recognize that when we are in these crises and personal, individuals grab a weapon, grab a firearm, and they are taking an aggressive action there is not many choices that you have."

Kavanaugh said a day prior to the shooting, police encountered a man experiencing a mental health crisis.

Swango said her only son is in critical condition.

"He's got to go through a lot of surgeries," Swango said. "Take him down without destroying him."

The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs reports at some point in their life, 7 out of every 100 Veterans (or 7%) will have PTSD. In the general population, 6 out of every 100 adults (or 6%) will have PTSD in their lifetime Jeremy Harrell, founder of Veterans Club, a local nonprofit that supports military veterans and their families, said Atkins could have experienced disassociation.

"Maybe he thought he was back overseas doing his duty," Harrell said. "We can't sleep on mental health and we can't wait until something tragic like this happens before we kick into gear to start doing something about it."

Indiana State Police said its investigating the shooting while Jeffersonville Police will also conduct an internal investigation.