A Military Veteran with a History of Mental Illness is Allegedly Shot by a Deputy in Harrison County, Texas
Northeast of Longview, Texas, in Harrison County, deputies with the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call for a welfare check on Curtis Black Road on Saturday, January 20, 2018. Police went to the address to check on 61-year-old Arther McAfee Jr., an African American military veteran who reportedly has a history of mental illness. One of Mr. McAfee’s sisters, Maxine McAfee, let a deputy into her brother’s home. She said that when her brother came out of his bedroom, he was being combative but did not have a weapon. After a struggle ensued, the Harrison County deputy allegedly shot Mr. McAfee in the chest with a handgun. Sources say Mr. McAfee’s family got word from the sheriff’s office that afternoon that he had died at a medical center in Longview.
Ms. McAfee provided more details about the alleged fatal police shooting. She lives next door to her brother, and family members said they had asked for a welfare check because he had been keeping to himself too much. She said that last summer was another time they called 9-1-1 about Mr. McAfee. On that occasion, a paramedic and two deputies managed to secure him and transport him to the Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center for a psychological exam, at which time he was admitted.
But on Saturday, only the one deputy reportedly went into the house. After Mr. McAfee exited the bedroom and struggled, the deputy allegedly got him to the floor and used an electronic weapon on him. The deputy then instructed him to turn over onto his stomach, so that he could be handcuffed. The deputy then allegedly shot Mr. McAfee in the chest two times.
An investigation into the incident will be conducted by the Texas Rangers. There was no mention as to whether the deputy involved in the alleged police shooting was wearing a body cam, to potentially provide evidence of exactly what happened.
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