Author

Laura Pérez Sánchez

Laura N. Pérez Sánchez is an independent investigative reporter and editor based in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Laura writes about corruption and its impact on the population, post-disaster recovery efforts, and lived experiences under colonialism. She’s a 2019 Nieman Fellow, and her work has appeared in The New York Times, National Geographic, Centro de Periodismo Investigativo, El Nuevo Día, and independent multimedia projects.

Laura's Latest Articles

In Puerto Rico, Calling 911 in a Mental Health Crisis Can Get You Tased

By Laura Pérez Sánchez, Natalia Salazar & Grey Lucas

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Investigations

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December 21, 2023

When police use force in the San Juan and Arecibo regions of Puerto Rico, about a quarter of the time they use it against people suffering a mental health crisis, according to an analysis by the Center for Investigative Journalism. In more than half of these cases, officers discharged their Tasers, which can cause serious harm.