January: Veterans facing off with law enforcement

January: Veterans facing off with law enforcement

Colorado gunman who killed deputy left alarming online trail, officials say
CNN January 2, 2018

Matthew Riehl, a 37-year-old former Army reservist, shot four sheriff's deputies who responded to a complaint at his apartment in the Denver suburb of Highlands Ranch on Sunday morning, killing one, police say. Riehl was killed during a subsequent shootout with a police tactical team -- a clash that also left a SWAT officer injured, authorities say.

Potterville man died from self-inflicted wound after hours of negotiation
Lansing State Journal January 4, 2018

The man is a military veteran who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, a traumatic brain injury and depression, according to police.

Man dies after officer-involved shooting in Ozark
4029 News Arkansas January 4, 2018

"I just want answers, I just want to know what really happened," said Dawn Jones who told 40/29 News she was with Ronald Elliott, Tuesday, just hours before the deadly shooting.

"I don't think for one minute that Ron ever pointed a gun at police, he couldn't have, it's not who he is," Jones said. "He's a veteran who fought for our country, he did not point a gun at the police."

Officer involved shooting report released
Payson Roundup January 16, 2018

Just minutes after two Gila County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived at the Beaver Valley home of Jacob Brown, the tormented military veteran suffering from the delusions, paranoia and flares of rage from post traumatic stress disorder lay dead on the ground.

Troubled vet shot, killed by Harrison deputy
Longview News January 20, 2018

Arther McAfee Jr., 61, an Army veteran with a history of mental illness, died after a welfare check at his rural home northeast of the Longview city limits turned violent.

BearCat, K9 deployed in Live Oak standoff
KSBW News January 30, 2018

The man who lives at the house on Capitola Road near 7th Avenue is a U.S. military veteran with elite combat experience. He was identified as 35-year-old Austin Clary.

Army vet shot by police at VA clinic faces charges
Seattle Times January 30, 2018

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — An Army veteran who was shot during a confrontation inside a Veterans Affairs clinic in Oregon where he went to seek help for mental problems was in jail Tuesday, charged with attempted assault, unlawful use of a weapon, menacing and other crimes.

Standoff in St. Ann leaves dozens of shoppers stranded
KSDK News Reported February 1, 2018.

Wednesday, police confirmed the man responsible was an army veteran who served two tours in Iraq, therefore they believe he was experiencing some mental health issues.

Veteran Faces Charges After Being Shot at VA?

Army veteran shot by police at VA clinic faces charges
Associated Press
By ANDREW SELSKY
Published: January 30, 2018

Negrete's service record, obtained by The AP from the U.S. Army Human Resources Command at Fort Knox, Kentucky, shows that Negrete served in Iraq for one year starting in October 2008 and then in Afghanistan from October 2010 to August 2011. 

SALEM, Ore. — An Army veteran who was shot during a confrontation inside a Veterans Affairs clinic in Oregon where he went to seek help for mental problems was in jail Tuesday, charged with attempted assault, unlawful use of a weapon, menacing and other crimes.

Gilbert "Matt" Negrete allegedly displayed a knife Thursday after arriving at the clinic in White City, where he had an appointment. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office said VA police tried "less-lethal force options" to disarm Negrete before one of the officers fired, hitting him in the chest. Negrete, 34, was flown to a hospital in nearby Medford. No one else was injured.

Negrete was released from the hospital Saturday and is in the county jail with bail set at $250,000, Deputy District Attorney Laura Cromwell told The Associated Press. Negrete was arraigned Monday via a video hookup from jail, Cromwell said. He is being provided with a public defender.

Authorities will convene a grand jury later this week which will determine whether to indict Negrete, Cromwell said in a telephone interview. She anticipates that his attorney will urge the grand jury to take Negrete's military history into account. At least five of seven jurors must concur for the case to move forward.
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Homeless Veterans Increasing in Nation's Capital

Homelessness among veterans rises in D.C.
Resources shift to meet needs as spike opposite to nationwide reduction
Washington Times
By Julia Airey
January 30, 2018

Veteran Affairs Secretary David J. Shulkin has expressed concern that homelessness among former troops in the District has inched higher, even as it has fallen nationwide.

Army veteran Bernin Gibson, 82, leans his pack of donated winter clothes against a bollard near the Washington DC VA Medical Center on Saturday after the Winterhaven service fare. Mr. Gibson has attended Winterhaven since it began 24 years ago. (Julia Airey / The Washington Times)

“We are very committed to ending veteran homelessness,” Mr. Shulkin told The Washington Times during his agency’s recent Winterhaven homelessness services fair at the Washington DC VA Medical Center. “This has been a journey which started in 2010 where we made significant progress across the country — a 46 percent reduction nationally. But last year we actually went backwards with a 2 percent increase.”

According to the annual “Point-in-Time” tally of people sleeping outdoors in winter, the District counted 672 homeless in 2017, up from 350 in 2016. The data from last week’s PIT tally will be available in May.

In addition, 14.1 percent of the District’s 28,400 veterans were reported living in poverty in 2016, up from 10.5 percent in 2015, according to the Census Bureau.

Citing poverty as a leading risk factor for homelessness, federal and local providers of human services have begun shifting resources to address the needs of veterans at risk of becoming homeless.
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Pte Sean Benton's death the Deepcut Army barracks strange inquest

Ex-Army sergeant 'jumped out of a coffin during a funeral practice for a young soldier who died at Deepcut barracks in a "disgusting and disrespectful" prank as inquest hears cadets were asked to clean up his blood after he shot himself
Daily Mail
By Richard Spillett for MailOnline
30 January 2018

Private was the first of four recruits to die at Army barracks in seven years
Former comrade tells inquest a sergeant jumped out of coffin at funeral practice
Sergeant is said to have pushed recruits 'to the limit' and 'didn't like' late soldier
A friend said he was told to clear up blood and remove evidence of the shooting

A new inquest is being held into Pte Sean Benton's death the Deepcut Army barracks in 1995

He told the inquest in Woking, Surrey today that former sergeant Andrew Gavaghan jumped out of a makeshift coffin - which had originally been filled with sandbags - as soldiers carried it during a practice session ahead of the funeral.

A former Army sergeant hid inside and jumped out of a makeshift coffin which was being used by soldiers to practice for the funeral of a young recruit who had died in a shooting at the controversial Deepcut barracks, a coroner heard today.

Pte Sean Benton was found dead with five bullet wounds to his chest on June 9, 1995. The 20-year-old was the first of four recruits to die at the Surrey barracks in seven years, a new inquest into his death has heard.

Former fellow recruit and close friend Neil Williams was initially refused permission by officers to attend the funeral but was finally allowed when Pte Benton's mother, Linda, requested him was a pallbearer.

Mr Williams also told how he was asked to take part in the clear-up at the site of Pte Benton's shooting.
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Veterans Help Sheriff's Department to Help PTSD Veterans

Local veterans reach out to sheriff's office to help veterans struggling with PTSD
Payson Roundup
by Alexis Bechman roundup staff reporter
Jan 30, 2018

After reading that sheriff’s deputies had shot and killed a disturbed young veteran who had threatened deputies with a shotgun, two local Vietnam veterans were moved to do something.

Bud Huffman and Jim Muhr left the service decades ago, but have had to cope with post-traumatic stress disorder ever since.

Now they hope to reach out to other local veterans struggling to avoid another such tragedy.

In June, Jacob Brown had a PTSD attack on his birthday near his home in Beaver Valley Estates. Frightened, Brown’s wife fled the area with their children and went to Prescott to stay with family. Alone, Brown stormed around the two-story rental. Surveillance cameras, which Brown had installed inside and outside the home, picked up his movements.

On the phone, Brown told his uncle he wanted to kill himself, but couldn’t reach the trigger on his shotgun. His uncle called 911 for help. The two deputies had moved onto the porch with guns drawn when Brown stormed out of his home. Brown ignored orders to put down his weapon, so the officers fired on him.

“When I read that article it broke my heart,” Muhr said. “There are a lot of veterans that need a lot of help. Bud and I wanted to do something and with our backgrounds in PTSD, we felt we understand what veterans are going through.”

Both Muhr and Huffman recently met with GCSO supervisors, deputies and correctional officers in both Payson and Globe to offer their assistance as members of the Payson Veterans Advocacy Committee. Generally, officers have little training in how to deal with someone suffering from PTSD and the sheriff’s office doesn’t have a special unit to deal with things like a confrontation with a mentally ill person or even a hostage-taking situation.
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