SAUGUS, Mass. — Lisa Fuller is mourning the loss of her friend and neighbor Stephanie Gerardi.
Fuller was heartbroken to learn Gerardi was shot and killed by police Saturday at her home in Saugus.
“I think police overreacted, Stephanie was kind and sweet and loving,” said Fuller. “She has two beautiful kids and now they have no mother.”
The Essex County District Attorney’s Office says officers responded to a call from the home on Alfred Road for a woman in distress, and when they arrived police say Gerardi was waving a knife.
That’s when an officer fired three shots at her, killing her.
“Stephanie needs justice, it’s not a crime to have mental health – she didn’t ask for mental health issues, nobody does,” said Fuller.
Fuller says this shows the need for a mental health crisis team to respond along with officers to situations like this before deadly force is used.
“It’s very frustrating I have a daughter myself who has mental illness and how am I supposed to say my daughter needs help? I’m not going to want to call anybody,” said Fuller.
The DA says the officers involved were not injured and they’ll continue to investigate what happened, while friends and neighbors lay flowers outside Gerardi’s home.
“I hope the family has strength and that they have knowledge that people are behind them for a senseless act that happened to their sister,” said Fuller.
Gerardi was 38 years old.
The officer who killed her is on administrative leave while this investigation continues.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW