9/16/24 - B.B. 

This evening, I had the honor of speaking with Jennifer Root-Bannon, the sister of Juston Root. She shared the heartbreaking details of her brother’s death, revealing that in 2020, during a mental health crisis, Juston was unnecessarily shot over 30 times by five Boston police officers and one Massachusetts State Trooper.

During our podcast Jennifer also offered a glimpse into who Juston was. She described him as a vibrant and multifaceted person with a passion for life. He had a love for rapping, writing music, and skiing in Colorado’s mountains. Known for his peacemaking spirit, Juston was always eager to help others. Jennifer remembered him fondly as a great listener who loved spending time with her children and had a profound connection to family, marked by his nurturing nature.

On February 7th, 2020, Juston, who lived with schizoaffective disorder, made an unscheduled visit to his therapist in the area on the campus of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.  During this visit, Juston interacted with a security guard who observed him as being nonsensical, delusional, and paranoid. The guard also noted that Juston was carrying a clear plastic item in his waistband, which would later become a crucial element in the unfolding events.

The situation took a dire turn when the police were called to the hospital. A Boston police officer encountered Juston, who was loudly asserting multiple times that he was with law enforcement. During this encounter, Juston revealed a clear plastic paintball gun in response to the officer whom already had his firearm out.  

The police response was swift and severe: fifteen shots were fired, one of which ricocheted and injured a hospital valet.

Bleeding heavily from the gunshots, Juston drove away from the scene and subsequently crashed at a high speed six minutes later. 

 A certified EMT passersby on the scene reported seeing Juston exit his vehicle, clutching his chest, and then collapse. She noted Juston was covered in blood and unresponsive. An EMT who arrived after Juston had been shot, observed a significant amount of blood in the car.

Before officers approached, they all had been informed via their police radio that Juston had been shot, there was no initial information about him firing a weapon or other injuries. Juston was surrounded by six officers, with a sixth officer positioned off to the side. One officer was recorded on body camera saying, “I killed the motherfucker” and “I emptied my magazine on him.” Despite the severity of the situation, 31 bullets were fired by the police. A BB gun was recovered from the scene, but it was neither bloodied nor damaged and was not found in Juston’s hand.

The Norfolk District Attorney’s Office concluded its investigation into Juston Root’s death in just 30 days. In contrast, a separate investigation into the shooting at the hospital took three years. Compounding the situation, two Chase ATM cameras near the scene were reportedly malfunctioning or misaligned. 

 Allegations of police misconduct include claims of excessive force, ignoring policies that they are not to meet together before their interviews, one Boston Police officer had someone else's department issued firearm, this same officer disposed of his body camera. The majority of the officers met together prior to their statement, which took place 5 days after the shooting.

Juston's case highlights larger concerns about police violence. For instance, on July 6th, Sonya Massey, a young Black woman with mental illness, was tragically shot by Sean Grayson, an Illinois police officer with a history of policy violations across multiple departments. Despite Sonya's mother informing the department multiple times the day before that Sonya was having a mental health episode this fatal incident occurred during a routine welfare check at her home. Despite his problematic record, Grayson remained on duty due to a lack of effective information sharing between police departments.

“We must call for reform!” - Jennifer goes on to say that the need for legislative reform is evident. The Medical Civil Rights Act, which would mandate EMS response for individuals in medical need, has not yet passed in Massachusetts this bill did however pass in the neighboring state of Connecticut. Following Juston’s death, gatherings and rallies have been held to support the family and call for change. Activists are pushing for a bill to address these gaps in the law, encouraging public participation in rallies and demonstrations to demand justice. Public awareness and action are crucial in the fight for justice.

Jennifer believes that the case has not received the attention it deserves compared to other high-profile incidents. Efforts like the creation of ImpactedFamilies.com aim to support families affected by police violence. Jennifer’s call to action has been made for people to attend a “Free Karen Read” gathering at the State House in Boston, Ma on September 19th, with suggestions for creating signs in memory of her brother Juston.

As the legal battle continues, with Juston’s case reaching the U.S. Supreme Court. The First Circuit Court reviewed the case with three panel of judges and made factual determinations in favor of the police, taking the role of the fact finder, which is the role for a Jury, raising many concerns about negative effects this will have on changing the legal standards in the Massachusetts judicial system and the First Circuit court as it pertains to summary judgement standards. Although Juston’s family remains steadfast in their advocacy, planning future demonstrations and delivering a petition with 10,000 signatures to the Attorney General’s office.

Juston Root’s tragic death highlights the urgent need for reform in how mental health crises are managed by law enforcement. The ongoing quest for justice and transparency underscores the broader systemic issues within policing. As the public and activists continue to push for change, Juston’s story serves as a powerful reminder of the need for accountability and systemic reform to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

We are all JustOne. 

For more of Juston's story and progress in his case please check out JustonRoot.com

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