WEST PALM Seashore, Fla. — A number of good friends of Romen Phelps, the person who West Palm Seaside police said crashed a van on to the Alexander W. Dreyfoos College of the Arts campus Friday and was killed by an off-obligation officer in the university theater, reported Phelps was a gentleman battling with mental disease and posed no danger to any one.
“He was a mentally disturbed particular person, a fellow Dreyfoos alumni theater scholar. He, you know, just wished enable, he sought support and it wasn’t provided to him,” Skyler Meany, who put in quite a few hrs with Phelps the day right before the incident, told WPTV on Saturday.
West Palm Seaside law enforcement spokesman Mike Jachles explained Phelps crashed a van by the school’s gates and then ran across the house, acting violent and erratic and resisting attempts to end him.
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Jachles reported Phelps “violently attacked” a responding off-responsibility officer, who fired 1 spherical.
Meany stated Phelps put in a number of hours at his household Thursday, performing unusually and not wanting to go away.
“As the working day went on, it turned a much more extraordinary departure,” Meany reported. “By the time he came inside of, he couldn’t definitely communicate a lot. He was sitting down on the back again of this couch right in this article, tapping his foot, just respiratory definitely large.”
At some point, Meany explained, police and paramedics were being called and took Phelps to a hospital.
Meany mentioned he was surprised to see Phelps unveiled within hours, telling him the prescription drugs he bought at the medical center did not gradual him down.
Phelps then seemingly got in his van likely to Clematis Road for the night and at one position texted Meany.
“I would in no way do you hurt, Skyler,” Meany go through aloud from the text he gained. “You molded my symbiotic point out into a phoenix crystal. I am without end grateful. 4:52 a.m.”
Meany mentioned Phelps then dressed for his position as an electrician Friday early morning, but as a substitute went to the one area he cherished the most — his former school.
John Bryja/WPTV
“I assume he was striving to get himself arrested for the reason that he felt in danger of himself, so I feel there was section of him that didn’t want this to happen,” Meany stated. “He never ever needed to damage any one. He was a fantastic friend to me generally. He was a excellent pal to any one who realized him, and we all beloved him.”
The officer who opened fire has been put on administrative go away, which is division coverage.
