AGXStarseed
Well-Known Member
(Not written by me. This may cause upset, so reader discretion is advised).
'He gave me a real big hug': Black unarmed therapist shot by police officer has emotional reunion with autistic patient he was trying to help
An unarmed black therapist who was shot by police last week while protecting his autistic client had an emotional reunion with the man.
Charles Kinsey, 47, stood with a cane as he told reporters on Thursday outside Aventura Hospital in Florida that his client, Arnaldo Rios, jumped from his bed and hugged him during the visit.
Rios, 27, is currently recovering from emotional trauma he suffered when Kinsey was shot in the leg by a North Miami police officer last week while lying next to him.
The hospital visit lasted about 15 minutes and Kinsey said Rios is doing really well.
'I wanted to come and visit him before I did anything,' Kinsey said, according NBC Miami.
'It really touched me, just to see him, he's looking well, he's doing really well, he was very happy to see me, he gave me a real big hug.'
Kinsey said he is still recovering from the shooting.
'Physically, I'm healing, but mentally, I'm distraught,' Kinsey said, according to NBC Miami.
'I can't sleep at night.'
While he declined to discuss details of the shooting he thanked everyone for their support.
'I'm truly blessed to be here,' he said, according to NBC Miami.
Rios was the intended target of the shooting, which occurred last Monday after four North Miami police officers responded to a 911 call about a suicidal man with a 'gun'.
Rios sat cross-legged. He yelled. He did not obey commands to lie down with his hands up and he fidgeted with a metal object.
Meanwhile, his therapist, Kinsey, tried to surrender by lying down on the ground and keeping his hands up.
One of the officers, Jonathan Aledda, thought Rios was about to shoot Kinsey and fired three shots at Rios - but missed and hit Kinsey instead, authorities said.
The rifle bullet struck Kinsey just above the knee, went through his thigh and exited near his waist.
At the time of the shooting, Kinsey was was trying to coax Rios back to a group home he had run away from and the metal object which turned out to be a toy truck and there was no suicide threat.
During an interview last week, Kinsey said he was shot even though he had his hands in the air and repeatedly told the police that no one was armed.
Rios' family last week said following the shooting, he was left traumatized, distressed and has stopped eating, and even noted 'he is not the same anymore'.
The shooting is under investigation by state officials and 30-year-old Aledda remains on paid leave.
A police commander is on unpaid suspension for allegedly fabricating information about the shooting.
SOURCE: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3713532/Therapist-shot-police-reunion-autistic-client.html
'He gave me a real big hug': Black unarmed therapist shot by police officer has emotional reunion with autistic patient he was trying to help
- Charles Kinsey on Thursday said Arnaldo Rios jumped from his bed and hugged him when he went to visit him at a South Florida hospital
- Rios, 27, is recovering from emotional trauma he suffered when Kinsey was shot in the leg by a cop last week while lying next to him
- Kinsey, who was walking with the help of cane on Thursday, said he is still recovering but that he is mentally distraught
- Rifle bullet struck Kinsey just above the knee, went through his thigh and exited near his waist when he was shot while trying to protect Rios
An unarmed black therapist who was shot by police last week while protecting his autistic client had an emotional reunion with the man.
Charles Kinsey, 47, stood with a cane as he told reporters on Thursday outside Aventura Hospital in Florida that his client, Arnaldo Rios, jumped from his bed and hugged him during the visit.
Rios, 27, is currently recovering from emotional trauma he suffered when Kinsey was shot in the leg by a North Miami police officer last week while lying next to him.
The hospital visit lasted about 15 minutes and Kinsey said Rios is doing really well.
'I wanted to come and visit him before I did anything,' Kinsey said, according NBC Miami.
'It really touched me, just to see him, he's looking well, he's doing really well, he was very happy to see me, he gave me a real big hug.'
Kinsey said he is still recovering from the shooting.
'Physically, I'm healing, but mentally, I'm distraught,' Kinsey said, according to NBC Miami.
'I can't sleep at night.'
While he declined to discuss details of the shooting he thanked everyone for their support.
'I'm truly blessed to be here,' he said, according to NBC Miami.
Rios was the intended target of the shooting, which occurred last Monday after four North Miami police officers responded to a 911 call about a suicidal man with a 'gun'.
Rios sat cross-legged. He yelled. He did not obey commands to lie down with his hands up and he fidgeted with a metal object.
Meanwhile, his therapist, Kinsey, tried to surrender by lying down on the ground and keeping his hands up.
One of the officers, Jonathan Aledda, thought Rios was about to shoot Kinsey and fired three shots at Rios - but missed and hit Kinsey instead, authorities said.
The rifle bullet struck Kinsey just above the knee, went through his thigh and exited near his waist.
At the time of the shooting, Kinsey was was trying to coax Rios back to a group home he had run away from and the metal object which turned out to be a toy truck and there was no suicide threat.
During an interview last week, Kinsey said he was shot even though he had his hands in the air and repeatedly told the police that no one was armed.
Rios' family last week said following the shooting, he was left traumatized, distressed and has stopped eating, and even noted 'he is not the same anymore'.
The shooting is under investigation by state officials and 30-year-old Aledda remains on paid leave.
A police commander is on unpaid suspension for allegedly fabricating information about the shooting.
SOURCE: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3713532/Therapist-shot-police-reunion-autistic-client.html
