Testimony continues in trial of cop charged with killing teen

BOLIVIA, NC (WWAY) — Testimony continued today in the trial of a former Southport police officer charged in the shooting death of a mentally ill teen.

This morning a Brunswick County Sheriff’s deputy, who responded to the Boiling Spring Lakes home of Keith Vidal in January 2014, continued her testimony in the case against Bryon Vassey.

Vassey is charged with voluntary manslaughter after he shot Vidal after the schizophrenic teen struggled with the deputy and a BSL police officer.

After deputy Samantha Lewis-Chavis stepped down, Tyler Johnson took the stand. Johnson is currently the deputy chief of the Southport Fire Department, but at the time of the shooting he was a captain with the Boiling SPring Lakes Fire Department. He was dispatched to the scene for EMS.

Johnson testified that when Vassey arrived on scene he said something along the lines of “I’m here to kick a** and take names.” before entering the house. He said when Vassey fired, he first thought it was another taser going off, until the smoke alarms went off.

The defense questioned Johnson about an incident that happened at a Chinese restaurant months after the incident. Johnson. The defense argued that Mary Wilsey tried to influence Johnson by telling him to “Do the right thing,” and not just side with his fellow law enforcement brothers.