The percentage of people diagnosed with autism has more than quadrupled over the last two decades.

But explicit training for law enforcement to respond to this population and people with other developmental or intellectual disabilities is rare.

And as Judy Woodruff reports, misunderstandings between law enforcement and people with disabilities can lead to tragic consequences.

This report is part of our series, Disability Reframed.

Around this was the age when he started having more of the signs of autism, but he was still

smiled a lot and was happy.

Eric Parsa was the only child of Darren Parsa and Donna Lou.

Raised outside New Orleans, when he was about three, Eric was diagnosed with pervasive

developmental disorder, which is included in autism spectrum disorder.

When he laughed, when he thought something's funny, I mean, it was just really contagious,

like you felt his joy.

As Eric got older, it became clear he had serious disabilities, including severely limited

speech.

Eric's behavior also included moments when he would injure himself by headbanging or self-slapping.

Part of it was when he would have an outburst, just know when to back off, allow him time to just sort of calm down.

We saw that if he was getting cranked up, if we both kind of crowded around him, that would just like pour gas on a fire.

Darren and Donna said Eric's outbursts had improved significantly as he got older.

But in January of 2020, the Parsons were at a local laser tag place, a regular outing for the family,

when Eric started getting upset. He said, go home.

So I said, okay, okay, buddy.

And we walked out, and then midway between the entrance in our car, he stopped,

slapped himself four or five times in the face, and then got aggressive with me.

...