Posted on 01/05/2014 9:05:36 PM PST by servo1969
Two North Carolina parents are in shock after local police shot and killed their 18-year-old son in their own home, while they watched helplessly.
The family called police because they were worried about their son, Keith Vidal, who is schizophrenic and suffers from depression, according to local news. Vidal, armed with a small screwdriver, was apparently having a psychotic episode. Mark Wilsey, Vidal’s father, called the authorities to help deal with the situation.
An officer from the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office and another from the Boiling Spring Lakes police department showed up to the house soon after. Eventually, a third officer from the Southport police department entered the home as well, and ordered the use of tasers to subdue Vidal. According to Wilsey, Vidal was pinned on the ground by two of the officers when a third said, “we don’t have time for this,” and shot Vidal, killing him.
Vidal had just turned 18, and weighed a mere 90 pounds. He couldn’t have hurt anyone with the screwdriver, and had no history of violence according to family and friends.
“There was no reason to shoot this kid,” said Wilsey in a statement. “They killed my son in cold blood. We called for help and they killed my son.”
After her son was killed, Vidal’s mother suffered a mental breakdown and was treated by medical staff.
The New Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office told The Daily Caller that no statement has been released yet, but the district attorney and state investigators are looking into the shooting.
A similar thing happened to a Georgia family in October. (RELATED: Family calls 911 for medical help, cops show up and kill son)
Years ago I was in charge of security for a juvenile detention facility, I have 2 black belts and used to assist in training Police officers in the use of the defensive tactical baton after the Rodney King Incident. One night two police officers brought in a girl age 13 that also weighed about 90 pounds She was wearing Jeans, a T-shirt, and military combat boots. In the room were the two officers both African American males about 6" and over 200 lbs, the in take worker 6" tall African American Female about 150 lbs, and myself 5' 10" about 200 lbs.
They took off her handcuffs and leg irons and all hell broke loose. Picture the Tasmanian Devil from the old Bugs Bunny cartoons. It took all four of us to restrain her. we literally had to handcuff and leg iron her to the institutional couch in the room. I ended up with a fat lip and bloody nose, one of the officers had a dislocated finger and the other had been kicked in the groin.She was transferred to the mental ward of the County hospital after receiving an adult dose of Haldol.
Then why did they call the police?
Before let’s say the 90’s, a police vehicle like that would be unthinkable. Most folks would equate it to something the Soviets would use to control their populations.
Here is some “actual information”:
The cop said, “We don’t have time for this.” and then pulled his weapon and shot the kid.
What part of that don’t you understand?
Or, are you choosing to not believe that account because you believe cops are all good guys in difficult situations?
” I find it truly hard
to believe that a cop just went over there
and said “We don’t have time for this,’”
The newspaper ladies in the Dorner hunt, a teen in a club trying to tell a cop he was arresting the wrong guy, a woman checking a noise in her own yard, numerous SWAT incidents.
Cops have shown a consistent tendency to disregard all other lives. This is easily believable. Besides, as one said, you were more than willing to believe the worst of the family. But not the cop. Why? A little biased?
” 25% Brown shirts. These are the power
trip thugs that enter the force because
they like the power over other people and
the respect it brings. They are the most
dangerous. Police forces try to filter out
this sort of person, which is why it is only
25%.”
The most dangerous group is the rest, or cover for and ignore the crimes of others. Officer Harless, and the support cops gave him, comes to mind. Almost all cops fall into this catagory. Blue Line is alive and well.
” MEMO to the decent officers out there:
CLEAN THE COWBOYS AND THUGS OUT
OF YOUR RANKS OR THINGS WILL GET
MUCH, MUCH WORSE FOR US ALL —INCLUDING YOU!!!!”
The ‘good’ cops will never understand this. Any group will always be labeled by the worst behavior they allow among their own. And cops are very tolerant of criminal cops. Don’t want to clean house? Then don’t complain about your reputation being tarnished.
The old “a few bad apples” comes to mind.
Problem is, a few cause the rest to rot too, if you don’t toss them immediately.
I don’t understand this. How many times have we seen this sort of thing. Yet people keep calling cops, cops keep shooting people, medals awarded, rinse and repeat.
Cops are institutionally dangerous and in most cases beyond criminal and civil culpability. The heartless, inhuman, uncaring nature of these organizations is stunning.
How anybody could get up everyday, put on a Police uniform and go to work is beyond me.
It is the old Vietnam era meme. “To save the village, we had to destroy it”.
Don’t forget that these institutions are backed by politicians, judges, DA’s and lots of Joe Bag O Donuts citizens. They are a product of our hopeless, ridiculous, feckless society.
The time for rational debate is long past. We are in emergency mid course correction and reform mode. You want to negotiate with a hungry bear and her cubs, go ahead. Not me.
Come up with a scenario where three cops can't subdue a 90lb boy and HAVE to shoot him. Remember, he's only armed with a screwdriver.
Since when do cops go to jail for anything?
Very rare. Worst possible punishment is to be fired by agency A, and go work for agency B.
Not nearly enough cops are in jail if you ask me.
If they heaven forbid get fired then they are up a creek. The only marketable skills they have are running a fry basket.
So what we have is a bunch of idiots qualified to run fry baskets running around with guns and the full protection of the courts... Yeah. That sounds like a GREAT idea!
The news is full of stories like this. How can you find it hard to believe?
Must have been “threatening” them with a Chihuahua...
This is a sad story, that highlights the gap in available responses to a situation like this. But more (especially independent) information is needed before jumping to conclusions. The police might be sorely in the wrong; shooting the boy makes no sense per the facts presented. Or the step-father, who seems to be the only source, might feel a need to minimize his role in the outcome. (The author suspiciously spins the story by first making it seem that the “fat cop” said, we don’t have time, shoot him”, then shifting to the critically different “tase him”). Contents of the 911 call would be interesting.
If the kid was a non-violent 90-pound weakling (at 18?), and posed no threat, why did the family call the police instead of disarming him themselves and taking him to an ER with psych capabilities? Police are not on-call mental health professionals. They generally react to an out-of-control person by controlling them physically. What did step-dad think they would do? Or how a schizophrenic having a psychotic episode would react to being confronted by a group of unknown men? The parents might have been understandably desperate. Like much of life, this type of situation requires planning in advance.
My (initial) solution is the insurance model -
require every agent of the government to personally pay for their own malpractice insurance.
Let the insurance companies set the premiums based on the individual’s risk.
If someone’s premiums become too high to be employed as an agent of the State, find other work.
Oh-oh. The stereotypical roid-ragin' Blue Barrage Blimp.
Danger! Danger, Will Robinson!
Oh, no! Will Robinson's been shot!
Now that you mention, I seem to recall that it's common practice, and completely legal, for police to lie to peasants.
On the other hand, it's becoming more and more dangerous for peasants to lie to police. One of these days, local police will get the coveted "lying to a federal investigator" add-on charge.
It's amusing to read arrest reports these days. Most of the charges involve "touching of the sanctified body" of the arresting officer, or some form of "resisting".
Wait'll they get the lying thingee...
LOL!
Great post!
“Cops are by definition far more likely than the general population to be involved in violent confrontations.”
I doubt that this is true. Cops are ARMED when such an encounter occurs.
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