In the wake of the tragic Easter morning police shooting of 23-year-old Joseph Han of Folsom, many are wondering who they should call if they are in a similar situation with a family member.

On April 12, three police officers responded to Han’s home for a welfare check in the 100 block of Elkins Circle. According to various accounts from police and family members, Han hadn’t slept or eaten food for a few days and was hallucinating.

When police made contact with him, Han allegedly became aggressive, brandishing a knife at the officers. One officer used his Taser, firing both wire-guided probes at Han. When the Taser didn’t stop Han and his alleged hostile actions escalated, the other two officers drew their sidearms and ordered the young man to drop the knife.

According to police, Han didn’t. Concerned for their own safety and that of the Han family, the officers fired the weapons, hitting Han, according to Officer Michelle Beattie.

He later died of his wounds at the UC Davis Medical Center.

Call to the Han residence have not been returned but a family friend told CBS13 that the Hans called the police for help.

James Shin told CBS13 news the family questioned the officers’ decision to use deadly force.

“Whether three police officers had to go in there and surround a single individual who weighs like 130 pounds or less, when the nature of the call did not involve anything criminal, we really question whether or not the shooting is justified,” he said.

The family also told the TV news station they had not ruled out taking legal action against the Folsom Police Department.

The three officers are now on paid administrative leave pending an investigation into the shooting.

The shooting has made some people wonder what they can do for a possibly mentally ill family member.

“It’s a very uneasy situation for the family,” said Dr. Robert Hales, chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the UC Davis School of Medicine and the medical director for the Sacramento County Mental Health Services.

The first thing people need to do, Hales said, is to be aware of the symptoms. Some of those symptoms are:

Feeling sad or down,

Feeling hopeless or worthless,

Crying spells for no apparent reason,

Problems sleeping,

Trouble focusing or concentrating,

Unintentional weight gain or loss,

Irritability and restlessness,

Being easily annoyed,

Feeling fatigued or weak,

Thoughts of suicide or suicidal behavior.

“If excessive alcohol or drug use is apparent, it’ll enhance the other factors,” he said. “Any delays or hesitation in getting help will only worsen the situation.”

If those factors — especially suicide — keep appearing, Hales said, then it’s time to take action.

“One has to take it seriously and do something,” he said.

If suicidal factors keep appearing, Hales said concerned family members or friends should:

Voice your concern — ask what is troubling the person and be very willing to listen,

Be direct about the issue — ask if the person has considered killing him/herself and if he or she has a specific plan. Ask how far s/he has gone in carrying it out,

Help the person find professional assistance immediately. If the person is suicidal, take him or her to a mental health clinic or to the local hospital’s emergency room,

Take action, if necessary, by removing means for committing suicide, such as guns or pills.

“Even if suicide isn’t a factor, it’s still important to seek out help,” he said. “A good place to start is support groups, made up of people who were once mentally ill or who are in the process of taking their lives back through counseling and treatment.”

Hales said such support groups — such as those belonging to the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) and other organizations — make it easy for those coping with mental illness for the first time.

“Because, most of those group members are former patients themselves,” he said.

Those people, he explained, know what life is “really like. They know from first-hand experience, what it’s like to cope with mental illness and are willing to share those experiences with others.”

“If support groups aren’t viable for some reason,” he said, “then consult the family doctor or even members of the clergy.” The important thing is taking that first step, contacting somebody for help.

“Once that first step is taken, the next steps will be easier.”

Hales said that there are many options open to the mentally ill and their families. “But, it’s important to know the symptoms and be aware of them,” he explained.

Hales said that mental illness was once a stigma, something the public didn’t talk about.

“It was very easy to ignore or look the other way,” he said.

Now, things have changed. Groups such as NAMI, Hales feels, have improved the public’s perception of the mentally ill.

“The crisis intervention team (CIT) training that law enforcement officers are receiving,” he said, “has changed the police’s perception of the mentally ill as well. Many (in law enforcement) now have a better understanding of the mentally ill and how to react to them.”

Overall, Hales thinks that perceptions are “changing for the better. The stigma still exists but education has improved both awareness and acceptance”.

People are “slowly learning” that being mentally ill isn’t something to be ashamed of, according to Hales.

“Yes, it’s better — but we have a long ways to go,” he said.