RICHMOND, Va. -- The Virginia Senate Judiciary Committee approved a bill Wednesday that would create teams of mental health service providers and peer recovery specialists to accompany police officers responding to individual crises, also known as a Marcus alert.
The bill is named for Marcus-David Peters, a 24-year-old high school biology teacher, and Virginia Commonwealth University alumnus, was shot and killed by a Richmond Police officer as he charged the officer after a taser was deployed.
Peters was unarmed and his family said he was experiencing a mental health crisis.
House Bill 5043, introduced by Del. Jeffrey Bourne, D-Richmond, was approved by the committee by a vote of 8-3.
The bill will now go to the Finance and Appropriations Committee.
