Bryon Vassey entered the home of a family who called 911 for medical help after their schizophrenic child had an episode. Rather than helping officers de-escalate the situation, Vassey is reported to have said "We don't have time for this." Moments later he opened fire and executed the young boy, killing him as his parents screamed in shock.
Now, Vassey's attorney is saying the officer "had no choice" but to shoot the child.
"Detective Bryon Vassey exercised the only morally, legally justified duty of protecting the life of a fellow officer and that sadly (ended) the life of young Mr. Keith Vidal," said the attorney, James Payne.
Now see if you can wrap your mind around this.The reason the killing is justified, he claims, is because Vassey had only his gun on him that day and no Taser, according to reports.Thus with his firearm as the only weapon he brought with him that day, he "had no choice" but to shoot the child in the chest.
Vassey was carrying only his gun that day because he was assigned to detective duties and detectives aren't required to carry Tasers, said police chief Jerry Dove.That's government logic for you.The shooting death of an innocent boy "had to happen" because, well, the cop had a gun to shoot with.
Vassey has been on paid administrative leave since the killing.
Need to reassess their role as peace keepers, psychological evaluation would be in order.
How could he live with himself? There are so many levels that the officer hadn't thought thru.
I hope that he spends his life in remorse, whatever else happens as a result of this episode.
I could go on for hours, but it wouldn't fix anything. I'm sorry for the family.