Whether it's a rogue cop or a rogue state government, North Carolina sets the standard.
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Bill Moyers: State of Conflict, North Carolina
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NEW DETAILS: 911 report shows officer shot teen seconds after arriving
Posted: Jan 05, 2014
BOILING SPRING LAKES, NC (WECT) - A detective from the Southport Police Department is on paid administrative leave after an officer involved shooting that happened at a home in Boiling Spring Lakes Sunday afternoon.
According to Chief Dove, Detective Byron Vassey was placed on leave in connection to his involvement in the shooting, though Dove would not confirm if Vassey was the one who pulled the trigger.
Vassey has been employed at the Southport Police Department since December 2004. This is the first time he's been placed on administrative leave.
Boiling Spring Lakes Chief Brad Shirley says none of his officers are on leave after Sunday's incident. The responding officer for his department was Officer John Thomas.
The District Attorney's Office held a news conference Monday afternoon to discuss the incident. The family said they were not invited to the press conference, but showed up anyway with signs, pictures and posters hoping for justice for their lost loved one.
According to a spokesperson for the District Attorney's Office, deputies were called to assist officers with the Boiling Spring Lakes Police Department with an initial response to a home on President Drive.
At the scene, Mark Wilsey said officers shot his son.
According to David, three officers were involved in the incident, but he couldn't release their names due to an ongoing investigation by the SBI that he and the leaders of the three agencies that responded to the scene requested.
David would not release any details about the investigation, but a Brunswick County event report revealed new information about the officer who shot and killed Vidal.
According to the report, the first unit on scene was a Boiling Spring Lakes officer who arrived at 12:34 p.m. He was joined shortly after by two additional BSL officers and a Brunswick County Sheriff's Deputy.
The first unit on scene reported a confrontation in the hallway, but told Brunswick County Dispatchers several times that everything was OK.
Unit 104 from Southport arrived on the scene at 12:48:41, fourteen minutes after the first officer had already been on scene.
Seventy seconds later, Unit 104 radioed out that he had to fire shots at the subject in order to defend himself.
The event report mirrors what family members told the media.
Wilsey said his family called the police to help with his schizophrenic son Keith Vidal who had a small screwdriver in his hand. Officers used a Taser on Vidal and then shot him, according to Wilsey.
Wilsey said officers came into their home after they called for backup help when Vidal was having a schizophrenic incident.
Wilsey said officers had his son down on the ground after the teen was tased a few times and an officer said, "we don't have time for this." That's when Wilsey says the officer shot in between the officers holding the teen down, killing his son.
"There was no reason to shoot this kid," Wilsey said. "They killed my son in cold blood. We called for help and they killed my son."
The family said police shot Vidal because he had a screwdriver in his hand. They said it was a tiny screwdriver, though, that would not have hurt anyone.
Both parents said they had to watch their son die in front of them. They said Vidal had just turned 18 years old and only weighed about 90 pounds.
Vidal's mother, also at the scene, said she could not understand what happened.
"Where is the justice, why did they shoot my son?," she asked. "This is what's wrong with our mental health system."
According to David, investigators responded to the scene immediately and began working as a team to start gathering evidence. The district attorney said investigations area a search for the truth, and he's confident that everyone involved will find the truth.
The family said they recently lost their daughter in a car accident and this is the second child they will have to bury.
Neighbors said Vidal played with their children and he never was violent. They said he had a history of depression and schizophrenia, but he was never harmful to others.
Vidal's mother said she had tried multiple times to get Vidal help for his mental illness. Emergency services treated her for a breakdown at the scene.
Vidal was apparently a student at South Brunswick High School. According to a spokesperson for the school, a crisis team was at the high school Monday to offer support for students and staff.
Copyright 2014 WECT. All rights reserved.
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This Is What's Wrong With Our Mental Health System
attribution: screenshot from video
Mark Wilsey called police in Boiling Spring Lakes, North Carolina, to his home after their son picked up a screwdriver during a schizophrenic episode. Officers arrived and began to tase Keith Vidal, who'd recently turned 18 years old and weighed around 90 pounds. Then, without warning, one officer shot their son as they watched:
Wilsey said officers came into their home after they called for backup help when Vidal was having a schizophrenic incident.Wilsey said officers had his son down on the ground after the teen was tased a few times and an officer said, "we don't have time for this." That's when Wilsey says the officer shot in between the officers holding the teen down, killing his son."There was no reason to shoot this kid," Wilsey said. "They killed my son in cold blood. We called for help and they killed my son."The family said police shot Vidal because he had a screwdriver in his hand. They said it was a tiny screwdriver, though, that would not have hurt anyone.
The Wilseys say they've tried "multiple times" to get their son medical care for mental illness:
Vidal's mother, also at the scene, said she could not understand what happened."Where is the justice, why did they shoot my son?," she asked. "This is what's wrong with our mental health system."
An emotional video of the family addressing the media is available here.
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