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Samstag, 10. Mai 2014

Police Kill Mentally Ill Teen

North Carolina family said it took police 70 seconds to kill their mentally ill son. The family called the police to subdue their schizophrenic teenage son who was armed with a screwdriver and a mouth full of threats. Mark Wilsey, the teen’s stepfather, said they called for help and the police killed their son in cold blood. Wilsey said there was no reason to shoot their kid.
Three officers showed up at their home, from three different jurisdictions, and within one minute and 10 seconds their son was dead. Reportedly the third officer came from a city nearby and interrupted the situation which had finally been improving. The family said he turned the situation into an aggressive encounter unnecessarily and their 18-year-old son, Keith Vidal, was shot and killed.
Vidal has schizophrenia and was having “an episode” and his parents couldn’t calm him. His parents called the police so they could subdue the 90 pound teen in order to get him the necessary help. Wilsey told the 911 operator that Vidal was not doing well and they needed to get him someplace. Wilsey said Vidal was trying to fight his mother and she was scared to death of him.
Wilsey went on to say that Vidal wouldn’t take his medication and that they’ve had to put him in a facility before and he was getting really bad again.
According to Wilsey the first two officers arrived and were talking with Vidal; they seemed to have calmed the situation. Wilsey said everything was good then the third officer showed up, a detective from the city of Southport, and things went downhill from there.
Wilsey said the third officer stormed in and said “We don’t have time for this tase that kid now. Come on let’s get him out of here.” The boy’s stepfather said Vidal tried to run but was hit with two Taser charges and fell. The first two officers were restraining him when, according to Wilsey, the third officer shot him.
Wilsey said the officer reached right up and shot him point-blank, with intent to kill. He said Vidal was not threatening anyone he was just having a bad day. Wilsey said his stepson was flat-out murdered when there was no reason for deadly force.
In another retelling of the story to WECT Wilsey reportedly said that officers pinned Vidal to the ground after the boy had been tased and then another officer yelled, “We don’t have time for this” and shot Vidal.
Citing police records, WECT reported that only seventy seconds after the last officer arrived to the scene police radioed in saying in self-defense they had shot the teenager. When Wilsey asked why the officer shot Vidal he said another officer replied, “Well, I’m protecting my officers.”
Vidal was immediately taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The exact sequence of events, including who shot Vidal, has not yet been released by authorities. An officer from Southport has been placed on paid leave in connection with this unfortunate incident but authorities have not identified if this is the officer who actually shot Vidal.
Brad Shirley, Boiling Spring Lakes Police Chief, said after an “internal review” of Sunday’s event that the department had concluded the police officer from that jurisdiction did not violate state law or department policy.
Vidal’s mother, Mary Wilsey, wanted to know why her child had to die. She said all they want is justice for the death of her son who had just turned 18 a few weeks ago.
The cops had been called to the home before, according to family members, and in times past they have talked to him and calmed him down. They said Vidal was a depressed schizophrenic but he wasn’t violent. The family also said this is the second child they will have to bury, they recently lost their daughter in a car accident.
Chief prosecutor for the state’s 13th Judicial District says the state Bureau of Investigation is looking into the shooting. Currently it’s too early to characterize what happened.
District Attorney Jon David said he understands why this family is so upset. David said they just lost a child and what they want today is justice and he intends to give them exactly that.
A North Carolina family said it took police 70 seconds to kill their mentally ill son. The family called the police for assistance with their schizophrenic teenage son, Keith Vidal; and to their dismay what should have been a peaceful ending resulted in them watching their 90 pound son get murdered.

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