Behind the Badge
A touching moment between a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer and an autistic teen has captivated many.
The teen strolled away from his home, and officers knew he had become violent in the past and believed he was potentially suicidal, CNN reported.
When found, an officer followed him and sat across from him in a parking lot.
Soon the pair was laughing together and discussing family, school and football.
Autism Speaks–an organization dedicated to raising awareness about autism spectrum disorders and research funding–praised the officer for quickly attempting to make eye contact with the teen.
The photo illustrates the importance of the seemingly small actions that make a difference, the department wrote on its Facebook page.
The Charlotte-Mecklenberg Police Department posted the photo and story on their page in mid-May, and it has since gone viral and been shared more than 250,000 times.
