Father of US Army vet who was shot and killed discusses his son’s PTSD

Gregory Smith says he tried for years to get his son to seek treatment from the VA for his PTSD. Smith told KVIA that his son William Smith served in the Army from 2003-2007. He said his son was not the same when he returned from his second tour.

Following several years of difficulty where the younger Smith struggled with PTSD, several criminal arrests and the use of illegal street drugs, former US ArmySergeantWilliam Smith was shot and killed by a New Mexico state policeman on Friday.

He had led police on a high speed car chase down Interstate-10 that reached speeds of up to 130 mph and included the veteran driving the wrong way on the interstate, into oncoming traffic.

Police used spike strips and pit maneuvers to bring Smith to a halt in a Las Cruces neighborhood. Smith brandished two pistols and eventually fired one into the air. At that point, the New Mexico state policeman, according to New Mexico state police, “perceived a threat” and fired his weapon, shooting Smith in the head with a single shot.