'We called for help, and they killed my son,' North Carolina man says

http://us.cnn.com/2014/01/07/justic...ed/index.html?sr=fb010714carolinateenkilled5p

(CNN) -- Seventy seconds: That's how long a North Carolina family says it took for things to go horribly wrong as they sought police help dealing with their mentally ill son.

Keith Vidal, 18, died Sunday. According to CNN affiliate WECT, he was just shot 70 seconds after a third law enforcement officer showed up at his Brunswick County, North Carolina, home.

The three officers were all from different jurisdictions, and family members say that the third officer -- who came from a nearby city -- turned what had been an improving situation into an unnecessarily aggressive encounter that ended in their son's death.

"There was no reason to shoot this kid," the teen's stepfather, Mark Wilsey, told WECT on Monday. "They killed my son in cold blood. We called for help, and they killed my son."

Although the state Bureau of Investigation is looking into the shooting, the chief prosecutor for the state's 13th Judicial District, which includes Brunswick County, says it's way too early to characterize what happened.

"I think that we can certainly understand why this family is upset right now," the Wilmington Star-News newspaper quoted District Attorney Jon David as saying. "They just lost a child, and certainly my thoughts and prayers are with them. But what they want from this office today is justice, and I intend to give them exactly that."

Teenager Keith Vidal was shot and killed Sunday. Keith's stepbrother, Mark Ryan Wilsey, said he was in "absolute panic" when his parents called to tell him the news. "I thought I needed to get to my brother's side and protect him from anyone who may harm him."

Keith Vidal with his mother, Mary Wilsey. Vidal had schizophrenia, but "he was a good kid. He was in school," said his stepbrother, Mark Wilsey. Mark Wilsey called Vidal his "little buddy." He said they did everything together, from hunting and fishing to golfing and playing basketball.

The incident happened Sunday afternoon when the mother and stepfather of the Boiling Spring Lakes, North Carolina, man called police. According to stepbrother Mark Ryan Wilsey, Vidal had schizophrenia and "was having an episode," and his parents wanted police to subdue him so he could get help.

Vidal, who was carrying a screwdriver, threatened to fight his mother, so the family called police, the elder Wilsey said, according to CNN affiliate WWAY. Two officers arrived and began talking with Vidal.

The situation was calm until a third officer, a detective from the nearby city of Southport, arrived, they said.

"Everything was going good," Mark Wilsey said, according to WWAY. "Then this fat cop from Southport walks in the room, walks around the corner, says, 'We don't have time for this. Tase that kid now. Let's get him out of here.' "

The stepfather said Vidal tried to run but was struck with two Taser charges and fell backward. He said the first two officers to respond got on top of Vidal.

WECT attributed a slightly different accounting of events to Mark Wilsey. In that retelling, the stepfather said officers had pinned Vidal to the ground after he had been tased and one of the officers said, "We don't have time for this" and shot his stepson.

Seventy seconds after the third officer arrived, WECT reported, citing police records, police radioed that they had had to shoot the teenager in self-defense.

Mark Ryan Wilsey, who was not at the house but rushed there in an "absolute panic" and claimed that police restrained him, said his family is outraged by what happened and determined to get justice.

"We want the truth to be out there," he said. "We don't want the good ole cops system to play out something that ain't the truth."

Authorities have not released the exact sequence of events, including how and by whom Vidal was shot.

A Southport officer has been placed on paid administrative leave in connection with the shooting, Police Chief Jerry Dove said Tuesday. Authorities have declined to say whether he was the officer who shot Vidal.

A spokeswoman for the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office said the officer the agency had sent to the scene has not been placed on leave.

Boiling Spring Lakes Police Chief Brad Shirley said the same thing Tuesday of that department's officer, who was the first to arrive on the scene.

Neither David nor the state Bureau of Investigation returned messages seeking comment Tuesday.

CNN iReporter Anthony Owens, whom Mark Ryan Wilsey described as a good friend of the family's, described Vidal as a slight young man who was never violent despite his mental illness.

"All he wanted to do was play drums," Owens said. "He was so awesome."

The late teen's stepbrother said he did everything with Vidal -- hunting, fishing, sports and more -- describing him as a "good kid."

"He was my little buddy," Mark Ryan Wilsey said.

Owens said the incident highlights the need for more understanding and awareness of mental illness.

"I was devastated by the news and am desperate to find some kind of good that could come from this horrible situation," Owens said.

Mark Ryan Wilsey offered a similar sentiment, saying his family hopes to start a foundation to help the mentally ill like Vidal.

"We're uniting together, and we're going to make this go public," he said of the family's collaboration with Owens. "Because the way my brother got treated ain't right."