Mustang officer returns to duty and family is left grieving after man is killed

A Mustang police officer is back at work, and a mother is left heartbroken after her son was shot and killed in front of her while suffering a mental health crisis. 

The family of Juan Barbosa reached out to the police back in August of last year, hoping to get help for Barbosa.  

The family said deciding to call 911 for help that day is something they will always regret.  

“She's not the same, nervous, can’t sleep,” said Pedro Barbosa as he translated for his mother, Ma Victorina Covarrubias, who communicated how this has made her feel.   

The family says EMSA and Mustang Police called them to let them know Barbosa was wandering the street near Southwest 89th and Mustang Road.  

“Your brother refused to go with the ambulance, and technically, he's not a threat to anybody, he’s unarmed, but he's acting weird and we're getting calls about him,” said Pedro as he remembers the phone call.  

Pedro said that about 20 minutes later, his nephew and mom went to see about Barbosa and said he was not cooperating.  

That is when the family decided together to call the police for help.  

“He was just running. He got tased. He was on the ground for about 30 seconds. I don't know why she didn't cuff him. I don't know if she was waiting on backup,” said Pedro.  

Covarrubias now clings to pictures of her son and prays constantly at a table in the home where the hat Barbosa was wearing when he died sits.  

She has wanted answers for the last several months as to why her son was killed.  

The family said they plan to move forward with legal action to get justice for Barbosa.