Alan Pean, who was shot in his hospital room by an off-duty police officer during a mental health crisis, won $902,500 in a settlement with the city of Houston, the Texas Observer reported Jan. 4.
Mr. Pean had a history of manic depressive and anxiety disorders and checked himself into Houston-based St. Joseph Hospital on Aug. 26, 2015, amid a severe panic attack. According to a 51-page CMS report, Mr. Pean grew confused during his hospital stay and repeatedly left his room naked. Unable to get Mr. Pean to stay in his room, nurses called hospital security — two off-duty Houston Police Department officers. The altercation ended when one officer shot Mr. Pean; the city agreed to the settlement in October 2022.
"We do view the settlement as a modicum of accountability from the city of Houston for the atrocity that took place under their watch," Christian Pean, Mr. Pean's brother, told the Texas Observer. "We continue to grapple through legal proceedings with the hospital system and the security company that put protocols in place that led to a response to a mental health crisis with bullets instead of healthcare. The country still needs a public health approach to mental health and justice reform to improve everyday outcomes for communities and police officers alike."
The civil case against the hospital is ongoing, according to the report.