Supporters of the family of a Black woman who was fatally shot by a police officer during an apparent mental health crisis once again packed the boardroom at Mundelein Village Hall to plead for justice and to complain about what some called a lack of action.
It was the latest in a series of Village Board meetings dominated by people upset and enraged by the killing two months ago of 37-year-old Mary Alice Love in her family’s home.
The 20-plus audience members who took to the lectern to talk about the case included Love’s parents, other relatives, friends and strangers. They alleged racism contributed to the fatal confrontation. They demanded that the officer who fired the shots be fired.
And they promised they won’t go away.
“We will not sweep this under the rug,” one speaker told the board.
Love’s mother, Jeffry, called 911 on May 11 because her daughter was making suicidal statements. Love suffered from bipolar disorder, her mother told the dispatcher.
Bodycam video released by the Mundelein Police Department shows the armed Love rising from a patio table behind the house, opening a sliding-glass door, and then being shot.
Critics have accused police of killing Love rather than trying to de-escalate the situation verbally, using nonlethal weapons, or waiting for a crisis team. The sergeant who shot Love has been placed on administrative leave, pending the outcome of an investigation by the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force and the Lake County state’s attorney’s office.
Love’s family and their allies have demanded that the sergeant be fired and that two other officers be suspended. They’ve also demanded a public apology from police for previous statements portraying Love as someone who threatened officers.
“Do the right thing,” Mundelein resident Vuyani Wakaba said Monday.
Jeffry Love blasted Mayor Robin Meier for remarks Meier made about the grieving process at the start of the meeting.
“You don’t tell me how to grieve,” Love said. “How dare you.”
After all the speakers finished, several trustees broke their customary silence during public comments to say they’ve heard what has been said and will continue listening.
“Listening to your pain, it hurts,” Trustee Erich Schwenk said.
