(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Anger and grief surged through the Deschler family and their community as they grappled with the tragic death of disabled veteran Theodore “Teddy” Deschler, who was killed by FBI agents during an arrest operation at his residence.
The incident occurred in Henderson, Tennessee, on Aug. 16, igniting calls for transparency about what exactly occurred.
“It was a senseless act,” Deschler’s brother, Russell Deschler, told WBBJ on Aug. 20. “Teddy was a 100% disabled veteran. He had problems. He had severe PTSD. He had depression but he was getting help for it, but this was senseless.”
The 45-year-old Deschler was accompanied by his mother, Bonnie Deschler, at the time of the raid. As reported by WBBJ, she proceeded to open the door when she heard knocking in the early hours of the morning.
The FBI proceeded to move her out of the room and then stormed in to search for Deschler. When she pressed for information about what was happening, the FBI team allegedly responded, “It’s none of your business.”
Russell drew attention to the alleged fact that his brother was unarmed. “He didn’t have a weapon on him. He was just trying to get out of the house because it was filled with tear gas,” Russell explained before detailing the harrowing death.
“You couldn’t see,” he stated. “The height of the door and where Teddy was standing when they shot him and killed him, you couldn’t see if he was armed or not and you know he wasn’t “
Alex Morris, a neighbor who witnessed the events unfold, described the chaotic scene.
“I heard a loud bang. Then I heard a couple more. I heard the loudspeakers, ‘Come out with your hands up. We’re the FBI. We’re not going anywhere,’” Morris told WBBJ. “Before I knew it, I was coming out to see what was going on and watched them bust out their windows. I reckon they got him in there.”
Deschler had been arrested as a suspect following a gas station stabbing in a nearby town earlier this year, the Selmer Police Department claimed. However, details of the attack and any subsequent charges remained unclear.
As reported by WBBJ, the family demanded information about the arrest warrant and the circumstances surrounding Deschler’s death. “They said it’s an ongoing investigation, but they won’t say anything to us,” Russell expressed his frustration.
In response to the incident, the FBI issued a vague statement. “The FBI is reviewing an agent-involved shooting which occurred today at approximately 6:40 a.m. while FBI SWAT was conducting an arrest operation in Henderson, TN,” the bureau claimed before saying there is an ongoing investigation.
