Two law enforcement agencies, the Virginia State Police and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, missed crucial red flags during the hiring process of Austin Lee Edwards, who later kidnapped a teenage girl, killed three of her family members, and set their house on fire.
Edwards’ gun rights had been revoked in 2016 due to a psychotic episode, but this was overlooked during background checks.
Edwards, who had previously posed as a 17-year-old to lure a 15-year-old girl, used his position as a deputy sheriff to carry out the horrific crimes.
The lawsuit alleges that the failure to properly screen Edwards allowed him to obtain a badge and gun, enabling his violent actions.
According to the lawsuit, “If the VSP or the WCSO had performed a background check on Edwards, neither of them would have hired Edwards.”
“A spokesperson for the VSP has admitted that the failure to perform a background check on Edwards was the result of ‘human error,’ and it would not have hired any officer candidate who it knew had been detained under an emergency custody order and a temporary detention order,” it continues.
“Edwards told R.K.W. (teenage victim) that he was a police officer, and that they ‘need to do better backgrounds,’” states the lawsuit.
“He told her that if he did not kill them, they would ‘report it’ and he would not have enough time to escape California and return to Virginia,” it alleges.
The federal civil lawsuit, filed on behalf of the surviving family members, seeks justice and aims to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
The plaintiffs’ lawyer, Attorney Scott Perry, said, “The failure of the WCSO to properly screen the individuals they cloak with State authority is shocking and unacceptable. Without a badge, a gun, and this cloak of authority, Edwards would not have been able to commit these heinous acts.”
“This family has been mercilessly torn apart and R.K.W. (teenage victim) must live with the reality of that horrific day. We want justice for R.K.W.’s family and to prevent this from happening again,” he continued.
Read Also:
Nikki Haley Admits Why She Feels ‘Stupid’ On Campaign Trail
Hot Mic Slip Exposes MSNBC Host’s True Views On Biden
