On the night of April 28th 2010, construction worker Steven Buckley was shot by a Police Inspector who was leading a police strike team.
Buckley and the other two men in the car did not even have a chance to identify themselves before Inspector Denis Lopez fired what eyewitnesses say were two rounds from his pump action shotgun. Buckley took 12 shotgun pellets to the head which have left him partially paralyzed and unable to work to support his family. Since the incident, Buckley told us that the only help he has received from Police Department within the last 2 years is 2 bags of groceries. It has been constant struggling for him as he is left disable and has to provide for his family of 5. But that's not all that Buckley and his family is being faced with.
Just last week he received a letter from the Karl Huesner Memorial Hospital stating that he owes the institution six thousand, five hundred and sixty one dollars and his debts has been given to Credit Masters System for collection.
He has 15 days to pay up before any legal action takes place and that is money he doesn't have. Today we asked him, where is the police department in all of this?
Steven Buckley- Man Shot by police
"Last week when I came from work my wife told me I had a letter there from Karl Heusner and that is when I saw what it was and I told her I don't know how I will be able to pay for it but I really need help so I told her I will go to KREM so that they help me out."
Monica Bodden
"What was in the letter?"
Steven Buckley
"The letter said that I owed so much thousands and that I have to pay it by a certain date and if I don't pay it they will take me to the Family Court. I don't know what I will do so I told my wife I was going to KREM to get help."
Monica Bodden
"So if you don't pay the $6,000 within 15 days then they take you to court?"
Steven Buckley
"If I pay the money then that will crash and If I don't pay then they will take me to court for it."
Monica Bodden
"$6,000 is a lot of money especially in your case, I mean you're not working - you're just hustling for your family to just live day to day. Tell me - has the police made contact with you guys, have you tried contacting them to see if they will pay this bill being that they are the one responsible for this?"
Steven Buckley
"Well none of the police have contacted me or told me anything. None of them have come and told me ' well Mr. Buckley we will pay the money' and that is why I want to go and see one of them right now. Everytime I go to see the man they say he is not there and that he's out or out district."
Monica Bodden
"So what you plan on doing Mr. Buckley?"
Steven Buckley
"Well if I can't pay the money, I don't know how I will pay the money and I can't work right now and that is the problem right now. Sometimes I sti down and I cry because I can't work."
Monica Bodden
"Can you tell me how has life been after your injuries and coming out of the hospital?"
Steven Buckley
"Since I came out of the hospital, I walk around and I hustle - I go to KREM, I go to Ms. Shakron, go to Phillip Palacio and I go to Mose and that is how I get food to feed my kids."
Monica Bodden
"So you're not able to work at all?"
Steven Buckley
"I can't work any at all because when I go to my boss for job, then he says I can't work and he's not giving me any job."
Monica Bodden
"How frustrating is this for you? You have young children."
Steven Buckley
"Well I cry that I can't do it. I have to cry, I'm talking to you right now and my heart is full right now because it's not happening for me. I really need help."
Monica Bodden
"Can you remember the night you were shot?"
Steven Buckley
"Well the night when we were coming from work they stopped my working vehicle and told us to shut down the vehicle and we did that and a couple minutes after that I heard I got shot and I told my boss that I got shot and he told me to wait until the police finish deal with us. I told him I couldn't wait because I had to deal with it now and I came out of the working vehicle and got into the police vehicle and from then I don't remember anything."
We will continue following this story throughout the week. Buckley is the father of 4 young children.
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