DEER PARK, Texas — David Sparkman is holding on tight to the memories of his son, spending time on Friday looking at pictures of him when he was a child.
“Just a regular 23-year-old kid that has serious problems,” Sparkman said.
Sparkman said his son, 23-year-old William Sparkman, was diagnosed with multiple conditions several years ago.
“Paranoid schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder and chronic Lyme,” Sparkman said.
According to Sparkman, William was the man who was fatally shot by Deer Park police on Wednesday.
“I’m devastated. You know, I made a vow to take care of my son. You know, his whole life,” Sparkman said.
According to Deer Park police, William was kicking cars and banging on windows with knives in his hand.
“Whenever he walked, he would carry a knife. I just recently found this out. ... So, it wouldn't have really worried me unless I thought that he would use using on someone,” Sparkman said.
“I think it was one of these kitchen knives I have here like this for steak and, I’ve got a couple missing," Sparkman said.
Sparkman said his son went on walks often, just like he did Wednesday, and has a hunch of what William’s intentions were.
“I walked by his room here about four or five days ago and I heard some loud talking. So, I knocked on his door and asked him what he was doing, and he said, 'I’m preparing a speech, Dad,'” Sparkman said. “He was knocking on people's windows trying to have these conversations with them.”
He always worried about his son when he went on walks but never thought something like this would happen and believes it didn’t have to end the way it did.
“Someone needed to recognize this kid needs help. No, but instead, he was just shot down,” Sparkman said.
According to Deer Park police, they tried verbal commands and used a Taser but said it didn’t work. They said William charged at officers before the shooting.
Sparkman is hoping the incident can lead to conversations surrounding mental health and how to identify when someone needs help.