‘A talented, goofy kid’: family of Ryan Gainer, autistic teen killed by police, speak out

Shooting of 15-year-old beautiful soul' in California revives scrutiny on law enforcement abuse of youth with disabilities

When Ryan Gainer was diagnosed with autism as a toddler, he was nonverbal, and his family all learned sign language to communicate with him. But after the southern California boy learned how to speak at around age four, he was a ball of energy" who never stopped talking, his older sister Rachel said.

He loved saying hi" to neighbors and strangers alike, and as a young teen was known as the student who greeted everyone with a good morning" and a smile.