“We sought evaluations and appointments locally, and some of them were scheduled six to eight months out,” Krystal Wagner, of Humboldt, said. “We needed help today.”

Wagner’s son, Shane Jensen, 19, of Humboldt, was reportedly hiding under the deck of a home located at 205 Fourth St. S. when officers arrived on scene at about 2:30 p.m. Saturday, according to the Iowa Department of Public Safety.

Once there, the officers with the Iowa DNR and Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department encountered Jensen, who was armed with a 9 mm handgun.

Jensen fired the weapon into the air and then pointed the gun at the officers, the Iowa Department of Public Safety reported.

-Messenger file photo by Hans Madsen Humboldt police officers and Humboldt County sheriff's deputies are shown on scene of an officer-involved shooting Saturday afternoon.

An officer with the Iowa DNR then fired at Jensen, who was fatally wounded. Officials have not released that officer’s name.

Jensen was being sought by family members and law enforcement on Nov. 11 after expressing thoughts of suicide by cop to family members and stealing a vehicle, according to the Iowa Department of Public Safety.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation continues to investigate. On Sunday, the DCI reported that no further information would be released.

Jensen suffered from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and situational depression, according to Wagner. He was the youngest member in his family, which includes eight sisters.

“The truth of the matter is, Shane is and was a great kid,” Wagner said. “He would have never hurt anyone. He would have given the shirt off his back to any of us.”

“He just struggled with his own emotional pain,” she added. “And on numerous occasions, I tried to get him help and there was no one who would help us. We always felt at a loss and we put it on our backs, but none of us are equipped to handle that.”

Wagner said she is not angry with the situation that unfolded Saturday.

“Everybody had families, and we wanted them to go home to their families and the normalcy that they were probably blessed with because we haven’t had normalcy with Shane for quite some time.”

A lack of mental health resources continues to be a problem, she said.

“There is nowhere in Iowa, and insurance companies don’t want to cover it,” she said. “If he goes for depression, not covered. If he goes for ADHD, it wasn’t covered. If he goes for anxiety, it was all considered mental health.”

Her husband, who is Shane Jensen’s stepfather, Bob Wagner, agreed.

“There is just a lack of facilities,” he said. “There is a lack of programs. It’s not a priority of society.”

According to published news reports, Iowa ranks last in the nation in terms of caring for mental illness and number of mental health beds across the state.

“All of society is paying for the consequences of these things and to this point we have not demonstrated the willingness to pay to prevent the consequences this is causing,” Bob Wagner said. “Until we get to that point, we are going to continue to have parents in these positions and police officers who are living with having to pull the trigger.”

He doesn’t believe legislation addressing gun control is the answer.

“We can pass all the gun laws in the world and it won’t go away,” he said. “Gun laws wouldn’t have changed what happened yesterday (Saturday).”

Krystal Wagner said she is doing her best to accept what has happened.

“While we will never understand, we are trying to accept the choices made by all,” she said. “And while Shane is now pain free, we will carry that for him as will the officer who fired the fatal shot.”