The intersection of autism, race and tragedy for Black people on the spectrum

Elijah McClain was a 23-year-old Black man killed in 2019 as a result of being illegally injected with 500 mg of ketamine by paramedics after being forcibly detained by police officers in Aurora, Colorado. He went into cardiac arrest and died six days later in the hospital. His story garnered national attention with video footage of his last moments highlighting behaviors that people deemed on the spectrum. RELATED: 1 officer convicted, 1 acquitted in death of Elijah McClain “I am an introvert. Please respect the boundaries that I am speaking. I’m going home,” McClain would tell Aurora police who were called to the scene of him walking down the street from a local Shell gas station. A man called 911 on him because he looked “suspicious.” McClain had just finished purchasing soft drinks. He was wearing a face mask that his family lawyer would say was to keep his face warm since he had anemia. The intersection of autism and tragedy In surveillance footage at the gas station, he is seen bowing to a man behind him after paying for his items. His family would say this was his signature, “gratitude bow.” McClain did not like being touched. He was...