Iraq Veteran With PTSD Had Bulletproof Vest for Self Protection

UPDATE

Marine Corps veteran pleads not guilty to misdemeanor in theater incident

Man with bulletproof vest at theater has PTSD
KRCR News
By Danielle Radin
POSTED: Jun 18 2016

"It's just a huge misunderstanding," said Merritt. "Nobody luckily was physically harmed. However my brother, this is gonna make his ptsd worse.

REDDING, Calif. - Panic struck at a Cinemark movie theater in Redding Friday after people called police because of a man wearing a bulletproof vest. He was arrested for having a concealed dagger, but police say he had no gun.

The man was identified as John Brentley Casiday, 31. He was going to see a movie with his brother-in-law, John Merritt.

"I feel bad for this because I invited him to the movie and he didn't really even want to go," said Merritt. "There's no way he had any ill intent in his heart whatsoever."

Merritt said Casiday is a war veteran, and went on two tours to Iraq in the Marine Corps.He said Casiday suffers from P.T.S.D. and rarely leaves the house without his vest.

"He wears that to feel comfort you know when his P.T.S.D. gets bad," said Merritt. "He doesn't like being around a lot of people."
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