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Billboard ad brings awareness to mental health and police response

Adina Peyton, mother of Brad Pugh, is raising awareness on how police respond to people with mental health illness.

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — One Huntsville mother is calling for change in how police respond to people with mental illness, and she's using a billboard to do it.

Brad Pugh, 41, is on a billboard at Bob Wallace Avenue and Memorial Parkway. Pugh was killed last year by Huntsville Police after a four-hour long stand off.

He was armed on top of the roof of a restaurant in Five Points. Pugh's mother, Adina Peyton, says he had mental illness and a problem with drug addiction and his pistol was unloaded. Peyton provided an autopsy report which reveals Pugh was shot sixteen times. 

"My son is gone. This is not just for Brad Pugh. It's for all of us," says Peyton.

Pugh says people have reached out to her since her son's case has gained recognition. She says, "Oh my gosh, I've seen you on t.v. Please protect our children. My son is bipolar and he acts out."

Pugh was killed last November by Huntsville Police after a four-hour long stand off. He was armed on top of the roof of Ted's BBQ in Five Points.

Huntsville Police say when Pugh got off the roof he started running towards a neighborhood with the gun and turned and pointed the gun at officers. 

Peyton says she's been working with the Huntsville city council to seek change in how police handle mental health crisis calls. "To be able to integrate police and mental health is going to take a lot of work and a lot of integration," she says.

In addition to this, Peyton is calling for the body camera video to be released to the public and says only partial video was shown. "I would like to see all of the body cam for what happened on the roof. Who made the decision, was there a decision made for the plan that was enacted," says Peyton.

The Huntsville Police Internal Review board determined officers' actions were "within departmental policy." The Madison County D.A. say it was "justified under the law".

The city released this statement:

“Losing a loved one is tragic under any circumstance, and the City extends its deepest sympathies to Ms. Peyton and her family. Cases involving mental illness are challenging for all involved. When Bradley Pugh ran toward a neighborhood with a gun and turned and pointed the gun at pursuing officers, he placed many lives at risk. The incident has been investigated by the Madison County District Attorney and no wrongdoing has been found on the part of Huntsville police.

Ms. Peyton and her attorney were given access to speak with Internal Affairs and review the incidents surrounding the death of her son. The review of relevant video included body camera, car camera and security camera footage of what happened that night. Ms. Peyton, understandably, chose to leave the room and not personally view the video, but her attorney and a friend stayed to watch. Ms. Peyton was given an additional opportunity to review the presentation but declined.

The City has provided sufficient access to relevant information to allow Ms. Peyton to learn what led to her son’s tragic death. For a number of reasons, including the privacy interests of Mr. Pugh’s entire family, the City respectfully declines to make the video available to the general public.“

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