The family of Stephenson King Jr. Says the 39-year-old man had been hospitalized for a head injury and mental health crisis just hours before he was shot and killed by a Boston police officer on March 11. The revelation comes as the family seeks transparency regarding the final moments of a man they describe as a kind soul who spent years battling severe mental illness.
The incident has resulted in criminal charges against the officer involved, Nicholas O’Malley, who has been charged with manslaughter. According to police reports, O’Malley fired his weapon during a confrontation in Roxbury after King Jr. Allegedly stole a vehicle and attempted to drive away, leading O’Malley to claim he feared King Jr. Would run over another officer, Todd Ho.
Speaking for the first time at the GRANT A.M.E. Church in Roxbury, King Jr.’s father, sisters, and his father’s fiancé appeared alongside attorney Ben Crump, city councilors, and community leaders to challenge the narrative of the shooting. They argue that the man shot by Boston police officer was in the midst of a profound psychological collapse that the healthcare and legal systems failed to manage.
Stephenson King Sr., a retired state corrections officer who spent 27 years in law enforcement, described the heartbreak of seeing his son taken away by emergency responders on a stretcher on the day he died. King Sr. Had called 911 after his son, who had been badly beaten and suffered a head injury days prior, yelled from the second floor of their home for an ambulance.
A Timeline of a Mental Health Crisis
The events of March 11 paint a picture of a man slipping through the cracks of the medical system. According to the family, King Jr. Was transported from his home to Beth Israel Hospital and subsequently moved to a second medical facility. The family remains unclear as to why he was released from these facilities and the exact timing of his departure.
By that evening, the situation had escalated. Police allege that King Jr. Punched a woman and stole her car in Roxbury, which led to the encounter with Officers O’Malley and Ho. For the family, this sequence of events was not a criminal act, but the climax of a yearslong struggle with mental health that worsened in the months leading up to the shooting.
| Timeframe | Event | Source/Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Hours before death | 911 call placed by father; King Jr. Transported via stretcher | Family Account |
| Daytime | Admitted to Beth Israel Hospital; transferred to second facility | Family Account |
| Evening | Alleged car theft and assault in Roxbury | Police Report |
| Final Encounter | Police confrontation; Officer O’Malley fires weapon | Police Report/Court Filing |
The family notes that King Jr.’s mental health began to deteriorate in 2009 following the death of his mother from cancer. His sister, Ebony King Gibson, recalled that “something different clicked into him,” leading to substance use and the onset of auditory hallucinations. In the months before his death, his father observed King Jr. Taping over cell phone cameras, electrical outlets, and even shoe logos due to a belief that he was being watched.
The Struggle for Involuntary Commitment
The tragedy is compounded by the family’s repeated, unsuccessful attempts to secure professional help for King Jr. Through legal channels. Ebony King Gibson stated that the family tried “several times” to have him involuntarily committed to a mental health treatment facility through the courts, but were denied due to a lack of necessary paperwork.
Even after an assessment by a doctor at Dorchester Court, the family was told he “didn’t fit the bill” for the required level of care. While King Jr. Had received medication during previous periods of incarceration, the family struggled to maintain his treatment after his release. Ben Crump noted that while he could not provide a formal medical diagnosis, the family believed King Jr. Suffered from schizophrenia.
This systemic failure is a focal point for the family’s grief. “Now he’s gone,” King Sr. Said. “And he shouldn’t be dead because the fact is I tried to get some help from the same law enforcement I worked in.”
Demands for Transparency and Video Evidence
A central point of contention is the release of body camera footage. The Suffolk County District Attorney’s office and the Boston Police Department have both declined to release the footage, citing concerns that it could interfere with the ongoing investigation. However, the family and their legal representation are calling for immediate public disclosure.
Attorney Ben Crump and City Councilors Brian Worrell and Miniard Culpepper argued that the precedent set by the releases of footage in the George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Sonya Massey cases proves that transparency does not preclude successful prosecution.
“What we’ve always been concerned about in the black community has been when justice is delayed,” Crump said. “That becomes tantamount to justice being denied.”
The family’s request is not only legal but deeply personal. King Sr. Expressed a desire to observe the video simply to see his son’s face one last time and to understand “what really happened.”
The Human Side of a Criminal Record
While acknowledging that King Jr. “wasn’t perfect” and had an extensive criminal history—including charges for assault and battery and firearm possession—the family insists these were symptoms of his illness. They pointed to a 2024 incident where video showed King Jr. Asleep in a stairwell while an officer removed a gun from his lap. Ebony King Gibson explained that the weapon was related to a period of intense suicidal ideation following the suicide of a close cousin.
Beyond the police reports, the family remembers a man who checked in on his sister with a morning “How you doing darlin’?” and who was generous with his nieces and nephews during the holidays. They argue that a mental health crisis should not result in a “death sentence.”
Disclaimer: This article contains information regarding mental health crises and suicide. If you or a loved one are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988 in the U.S. And Canada, or 111 in the UK.
The legal process against Officer Nicholas O’Malley continues as the case moves through the Suffolk County court system. The next confirmed checkpoint will be the scheduled court appearances regarding the manslaughter charges, where the defense and prosecution will address the evidence and the circumstances surrounding the use of deadly force.
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