Ryan Waller, a 22-year-old man who, despite having a bullet in his eye, endured 4 hours of interrogation by cops who thought he was lying—only to receive medical help too late.

[u/SilkenSeraph]

[u/Odd_Tax5061]

That's fucked up

[u/MmmBra1nzzz → u/Odd_Tax5061]

The entire interrogation is on YT. Even without any training, I could tell something was wrong early in.

[u/EgolessMortal → u/MmmBra1nzzz]

But the cops thought he was faking it...

I remember seeing this years back, please tell me the officers invovled had some for of punishment other than paid leave for a month or two.

[u/tea-sipper42 → u/EgolessMortal]

The Waller family filed a $15 million lawsuit against the Phoenix Police Department and the City of Phoenix for their mishandling of Ryan Waller’s case. The family spent four years preparing for the lawsuit, seeking justice for their son’s mistreatment during the investigation. Unfortunately, the lawsuit was unceremoniously dismissed just three weeks prior to the trial, leaving the family without the opportunity to pursue legal action against those responsible for their son’s mistreatment.

From this article

[u/notANexpert1308 → u/tea-sipper42]

Why was it dismissed???

[u/gravityVT → u/notANexpert1308]

The lawsuit filed by Ryan Waller’s family against the Phoenix Police Department and the City of Phoenix was dismissed due to an expert opinion suggesting that the delay in providing medical attention to Ryan likely did not alter the outcome of his injuries. This expert’s assessment led to the court’s decision to dismiss the case approximately three weeks before it was set to go to trial. 

Ryan’s father, Don Waller, contested this conclusion, arguing that the six-hour delay in medical treatment significantly contributed to the severity of Ryan’s condition. He pointed out that during this delay, Ryan’s brain was bleeding and swelling, which can lead to catastrophic injury. Despite securing a brain surgeon who was prepared to testify to this effect, the court ruled in favor of the defense’s expert, resulting in the dismissal of the lawsuit.

Source: https://weirdtruecrime.com/the-shocking-story-of-ryan-waller-heather-quan/

[u/charredfella → u/gravityVT]

That's fucked up. Where's the justice in that?

[u/SugarBeefs → u/charredfella]

Cops are the biggest gang in America

[u/suicidaleggroll → u/SugarBeefs]

Cops and the courts that back them are the biggest gangs in America

FIFY

[u/AsstronautExplorer → u/charredfella]

It’s a legal system not a justice system. You were just duped into thinking that justice is a goal for the courts.

[u/Ashky22 → u/AsstronautExplorer]

A legal system. And laws are nothing but threats of institutional violence (unless you have enough privilege to be above the law). They are not restoring justice by any stretch.

[u/aspoonfulofsammy11 → u/AsstronautExplorer]

Yep. It was probably that whole “With Liberty and Justice for All.” thing, that had us thinking there’d be some justice…

[u/ThonThaddeo → u/aspoonfulofsammy11]

Egg on my face

[u/denbobo → u/AsstronautExplorer]

Someone get this comment an award

[u/theganjaoctopus → u/charredfella]

Honey it's a legal system, not a justice system. If you get justice, it's despite the legal system, not because of it.

[u/TildeCommaEsc → u/theganjaoctopus]

Are you a lawyer? I knew a lawyer who used to tell me messed up stories about his work as a defense attorney, then would say the "It's a legal system, not a justice system."

[u/foul_ol_ron → u/charredfella]

The justice of the government not having to pay a massive fine.  They investigated themselves,  and found themselves innocent /s

[u/Spreaderoflies → u/charredfella]

Justice in that we protected the cops who led to Ryan's disability and protected the city coffers from a multimillion dollar judgement or settlement. ACAB fuck them all

[u/ThatSandvichIsASpy01 → u/charredfella]

The justice is that the cops have to go and do it all again instead of getting paid time off

[u/Hugford_Blops → u/ThatSandvichIsASpy01]

And you know they have no guilt it think there's blood on their hands. They're really that ignorant to think that delaying medical care has no negative impacts on the guy.

[u/kevinnoir → u/charredfella]

With Luigi

[u/eatcrayons → u/gravityVT]

Isn’t the point of the trial to hear from all sides and experts and witnesses? How can you hear one side say their part and just go “yeah okay” and not go through with the trial.

[u/AigataTakeshita → u/gravityVT]

Okay... I can see that being true. What about the unnecessary suffering? What about the absolute ineptitude?

[u/foul_ol_ron → u/AigataTakeshita]

Won't somebody please think of the poor police feelings. They feel  that everyone thinks they're absolute bastards. Can't understand why...

[u/antifragile → u/gravityVT]

Expert witnesses are just about always hired specifically to tell a narrative not the truth, because it's just an opinion, often a con job.

[u/Epyon214 → u/gravityVT]

When you deny a legal remedy in a peaceful manner, you make violence inevitable. The entire purpose for the courts existence is to settle disputes without violence. The judge should be sued as well.

[u/TheLizardKing89 → u/gravityVT]

an expert opinion suggesting that the delay in providing medical attention to Ryan likely did not alter the outcome of his injuries.

Even if that were true, isn’t that an issue of fact that should be decided at trial?

[u/durden_zelig → u/EgolessMortal]

Paid leave is the punishment.

[u/Loud_Ad3666 → u/durden_zelig]

Paid leave and promotion.

[u/GGXImposter → u/Loud_Ad3666]

The promotion only happens if they are sent to a small town for 2 years. It's their goal, but they don't always break the law enough to earn it.

[u/LondonCollector → u/durden_zelig]

To be fair it’s taking them away from the things they love, like beating citizens for minor inconveniences and killings pets for no reason.

[u/Drostan_S → u/LondonCollector]

Can't forget beating the shit out of their spouses

[u/LondonCollector → u/Drostan_S]

They do that if they’re suspended or not, so I didn’t think it was relevant.

[u/yotreeman → u/Drostan_S]

What do you mean? They’re on paid leave, they still get to maintain the same lifestyle financially while freeing up all that time they would have spent working for more time beating their spouse!!

[u/Training_Raise_5823 → u/Drostan_S]

Wait, so I can get paid time off AND more time to beat my spouse? And all I need to do is 20 weeks of training?

[u/series_hybrid → u/LondonCollector]

How many cops does it take to change a lightbulb?

A: Two, but nothing gets changed, and they just beat the room for being dark.

[u/rainzer → u/EgolessMortal]

please tell me the officers invovled had some for of punishment other than paid leave for a month or two.

They even dismissed the lawsuit the Waller family filed. So you can be sure the officers involved didn't see any punishment.

[u/SurpriseDonovanMcnab → u/EgolessMortal]

Those cops are likely in leadership positions now.

[u/Major_Call_6147 → u/MmmBra1nzzz]

Cops get trained to be aggressive and suspicious, which is why without any police training you’d handle this better, by calling a doctor. And even if you thought he might be lying, the doctor could clarify that real quick

[u/longhegrindilemna → u/Major_Call_6147]

Wait, you mean American cops get trained to be suspicious and aggressive.

Because in Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea cops are trained to defuse, de escalate, and assist people. Real life helpers.

Our cops in America are very different. And what’s weirder, is that none of us voters are doing anything to improve the situation.

[u/Mindshard → u/longhegrindilemna]

Look up the "Killology" course American tax dollars paid for cops to be taught. The instructor literally tells them to have sex right after killing someone, because it'll be the best sex they've ever had in their life.

[u/Henderson-McHastur → u/Mindshard]

Some of the trainees hesitate and question the instructor during a simulation of a dangerous encounter with an unstable, possibly armed subject. The first instincts of the trainees are to hold their ground and try talking her down, because they don't want to shoot a woman who might just be having a really, really bad day.

The instructor loudly reprimands them for not emptying their pistol into the lady. Something about endangering their own life and the lives of their fellow officers. They are taught to prioritize themselves.

The people who are supposed to protect you are trained to think of themselves as more worthy of life than you.

[u/smurb15 → u/Mindshard]

In sure that won't lead to them killing more to achieve the best sex ever. Anyone else see the same thing a drug addict chases but we know cops have an ungodly amount of moral they can take it

[u/Warm_Month_1309 → u/longhegrindilemna]

One of my favorite psychological studies involves testing our ability to spot lies.

You take a regular person, show them a video of someone speaking, and ask them to mark when they believe they are being untruthful. We're actually pretty good at it, which makes sense, because a lot of our socialization is about learning to recognize patterns in behavior, even if you don't realize you're doing it.

Then take someone who has specialized training in spotting deception and show them the same video, and they will perform worse than a regular person.

Because all of that "liars tend to look up and to the right because they are accessing the creative part of their brain" nonsense misleads you, and distracts you from your innate ability to spot liars.

[u/r0llingthund3r → u/Warm_Month_1309]

I would love to see that actual study if you happen to have a link handy

[u/CapsNats17 → u/Warm_Month_1309]

Interesting.. I’ve read the opposite, that we overestimate our ability to identify when someone is lying and it’s more of a coin flip

[u/IDK_SoundsRight → u/longhegrindilemna]

Many voters are trying... But when the majority of the nation is too wrapped up in political showmanship and "othering"

[u/opus3535 → u/IDK_SoundsRight]

What is a little surprising is how desperate the christians are trying to get their "way of life" back as the standard in the US. They would rather burn the country down than accept any other outcome.

[u/neuromonkey → u/longhegrindilemna]

Americans have become adept at fantasizing that we are the protagonists in our adventure movie. We don't think that we're poor, we're "temporarily embarrassed millionaires." We won't be treated badly by cops, that's the bad people.

We've been lulled into stupidity by decades of self-delusion and make-believe.

[u/Larkfor → u/longhegrindilemna]

And what’s weirder, is that none of us voters are doing anything to improve the situation.

Both parties support cops almost without question.

When the people protest against police brutality we are then brutalized by police, and even so-called "progressives" still invite those same cops to their events and glorify them as heroes.

[u/PissyMillennial → u/MmmBra1nzzz]

[u/necessary_plethora → u/Odd_Tax5061]

If I recall correctly, the intruders killed his girlfriend and shot him in the head. He remained in the apartment where they were assaulted/murdered for several days in a daze, unsure of what was happening. When a welfare check finally revealed the scene, he was then taken in for interrogation and completely medically neglected

[u/LinnunRAATO → u/necessary_plethora]

I recall him even trying to tell them that he was shot in the head. They just brushed off the bruise/blood as a black eye before someone took a closer look.

[u/BrandoDaSavage → u/LinnunRAATO]

Yeah, at one point he literally tells them that somebody shot him in the face with a revolver and the cops go, "nuh uh, because you'd be dead, stoopit. So anyway, can you just confess while you're kind of out of it that you killed your girlfriend so I can go get some lunch pls?"

[u/ParticularGuava3663 → u/BrandoDaSavage]

Also,  he even replies,  yea i thought that too man! ( that he'd be dead) he's like idk man, that's what i thought too, but my head hurts!

[u/Tough-Effort7572 → u/BrandoDaSavage]

He initially says he was shot with a bow and arrow. Then a revolver. Then back to arrows and some other nonsense. Eventually the cops decides this kid is too fucked up to be lying and takes a closer look.

[u/littleempires → u/necessary_plethora]

This poor guy kept saying intruders shot him and his girlfriend with bows and arrows and the cops didn’t think in that moment “maybe something isn’t right”. He couldn’t find the word for gun because he got shot in the head. He even had a black eye from the bullet going into his skull, but they thought it was from his girlfriend fighting back.

[u/CryptidxChaos → u/littleempires]

Hell, there was a black eye on one side and a VERY obvious black spot that looked too round to be anything else but a dark mole or birthmark by his nose/eye socket IIRC, but considering his appearance, behaviors, and his insistence that he was shot in the face, my first thought would've been to look more closely at him and his wounds.

This whole thing was just sad. He tried his best to explain that he was a victim, and died anyway.

[u/Ok_Turnover_1235 → u/CryptidxChaos]

The only shining light in the whole story is he identified his attacker and got justice for himself and his girlfriend.

[u/SahuaginDeluge → u/CryptidxChaos]

if he had a "black eye", then isn't he injured, and therefore a paramedic should examine him before anything else? though that could end up the same way if they are just as careless as the cops were.

[u/CryptidxChaos → u/SahuaginDeluge]

Exactly. That's part of why this is such a tragedy. He didn't receive the care he ought to have gotten and was instead neglected until he eventually died. Granted, the detectives interviewing him did eventually realize he had a straight up bullet hole in his face, but it was far too late by then.

[u/Ok_Turnover_1235 → u/littleempires]

Dude the moment he said "We were in the same book at school" and said his girlfriend wasn't his girlfriend and couldn't remember her name. He didn't just have a black eye, you could literally see the hole in his face where one of the bullets went in, IN THE INTERROGATION FOOTAGE. The cops just didn't give a fuck.

[u/theidkid → u/necessary_plethora]

That was after he sat in a police cruiser for six hours at the scene. 

[u/SteelWheel_8609 → u/theidkid]

ACAB

[u/reddit4485 → u/necessary_plethora]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_c_lmx4LdNw&ab_channel=EXPLOREWITHUS

Youtube video of the interview with the detective.

[u/Mike_Ockhertz → u/Odd_Tax5061]

But it makes sense if you understand just how fucking stupid cops are

[u/WorkOnThesisInstead → u/Mike_Ockhertz]

And arrogant.

[u/davekingofrock → u/WorkOnThesisInstead]

And cruel.

[u/baycenters → u/davekingofrock]

And untrustworthy.

[u/MaximumNo7233 → u/baycenters]

ACAB

[u/Nekasus → u/WorkOnThesisInstead]

and malicious

[u/SpookyGoing → u/Mike_Ockhertz]

[u/FlemPlays → u/Mike_Ockhertz]

Especially when a precedence was set by the courts where a department could turn down people for being too smart: https://abcnews.go.com/amp/US/court-oks-barring-high-iqs-cops/story?id=95836

[u/zph0eniz → u/Mike_Ockhertz]

thats the thing, its not just that. They are abusing power. Taking justice in there own hands

[u/Niarbeht → u/zph0eniz]

Well, as we can see, it's not justice. It's punishment. Taking justice into their own hands would have involved them actually getting the guy medical attention and, y'know, investigating the crimes that had taken place. If they had been taking justice into their own hands, they would have been trying to determine the truth.

No.

Cops don't take justice into their own hands.

[u/SelfServeSporstwash → u/zph0eniz]

I don't think people grasp how monumentally stupid cops are in the US.

I have been detained MULTIPLE TIMES for driving a "stolen" vehicle. In fact, its been the same vehicle every time. I even got arrested once for it. It was, and indeed still is, my own damn car. Its registered in my name(which perfectly matches my drivers license), I have the proper insurance on it, the plate is the same one the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania issued to it on the day it was deemed a historic antique vehicle. Its. My. Car. I have only ever received one moving violation, for going 39mph in a 35mph zone.

So how have I been given so many issues by cops? Because they are almost impossibly dumb. Its a Triumph Spitfire. Once a cop simply refused to believe that I, a teenager (at the time) , could possibly own and maintain an antique car like that. He didn't let me go until I called my dad who verified that it was indeed my car. Once a different cop believed my clearly marked Triumph Spitfire was actually a cleverly disguised stolen MG midget and that I was clearly a master criminal since I so expertly made it look like a Spitfire. Obviously I was involved in a car theft ring since I had "forged" (real) documents regarding its ownership and I had "hacked" (properly registered) the state database to make the plates point to me... this is the time I got arrested. Again, I was literally arrested because a cop was too stupid to figure out that an MG Midget and a Triumph Spitfire are different cars.

My favorite story though is from last fall. The cop who pulled me over comes out of his car immediately in a huff, yelling at me, with his hand on his gun the whole time. He screams "you must be a god damn moron if you thought you'd get away with that!". Curious, I ask him what exactly I did. He *screams* that I know exactly what I did (I did not). Come to find out he believes I have a motorcycle license plate on my car. I do not, the plate on this car was issued specifically for this car, it has never been on any other vehicle, and I feel compelled to point out that it is a full-sized car license plate. It is not a motorcycle plate, which is MUCH smaller. But this man is convinced its a motorcycle plate, nothing will change his mind. He thinks this because the plate is tied to a Triumph (Spitfire) and "Triumph makes motorcycles". I tried, gently, to explain that actually they are different companies, although a very long time ago they were the same, and the company that made this car did, in fact, manufacture cars for several decades. He wasn't having it. This moron detained me for almost an hour until his sergeant came and chewed him out for being incomprehensibly stupid.

[u/painandsuffering3 → u/Mike_Ockhertz]

Y'all hear about the time jeffrey dahmer's victim escaped his apartment and the police literally brought him back to the apartment and left lol

[u/solrac1144 → u/Odd_Tax5061]

That’s the “justice” system.

[u/natlikenatural → u/solrac1144]

Criminal punishment system. I don't see a lot of justice.

[u/Key_Law7584 → u/natlikenatural]

correct, we have a punishment system, not a justice system. if only the general public understood this.

[u/Gren57 → u/natlikenatural]

Except, too often, rightful criminal punishment isn't handed out. They just get elected.

[u/sid_not_vicious-11 → u/Odd_Tax5061]

very much so

[u/sidewaysflower → u/Odd_Tax5061]

And what's even worse is that he died from a seizure which was related to his injuries. The City of Phoenix dismissed the case when his family filed a lawsuit again the Phoenix PD. So no justice for Ryan Waller.

The way police treat people who are experiencing a medical emergencies when in custody is just sick and inhumane. If they really believed in justice, they would say ok, let's get you checked at the hospital, and then you can tell us what happened.

[u/Classic-Ad8849]

What the fuck why would they keep interrogating him if it's evident his eye needs medical attention?

[u/Apache-snow → u/Classic-Ad8849]

Because cops assume everyone is a perpetrator and they were only interested in coercing a confession out of him with no lawyer present.

[u/8bitAnarchist → u/Apache-snow]

If I was that, dude, I would’ve literally said nothing until I got medical attention. I guess cops would just let you die tho

[u/fakawfbro → u/8bitAnarchist]

He was regressing into childlike behaviors due to severe brain damage. The cops in this case were absolute bastards.

[u/GearsZam → u/fakawfbro]

This is the most important part that some folks aren’t taking into consideration—he wasn’t being grumpy and visibly sleepy and snapping at the officers by any choice of his own. His brain was not functioning logically, it was slowly sustaining more and more damage.

He did not have the capacity to turn this situation to his favor. He very clearly does not understand what’s going on, and if I remember correctly from watching his interrogation, he didn’t even realize his girlfriend was dead most of the time.

Like. This is on those cops, 100%.

[u/donuttrackme → u/8bitAnarchist]

You would have a bullet lodged in your brain. No telling what you would've actually done with brain damage.

[u/sunflowerads → u/8bitAnarchist]

he was brain damaged and had no idea wtf was going on. there was zero possibility of coherent thought, it was absolutely insane that he was even conscious.

[u/dicksjshsb → u/8bitAnarchist]

I could’ve sworn I’ve heard stories about similar situations where the actual murderer gets medical attention and then charged with the crime.

How is medical attention going to affect whether or not they can prosecute him? Honest question.

Seems like you could bring him to the hospital with cops to make sure he doesn’t flee and just document all the injuries in case they are crucial to the investigation.

[u/LuxNocte → u/dicksjshsb]

If you get him medical attention then he might sober up and ask for a lawyer. Interrogate him first, maybe he'll just confess so he can get medical attention, innocent or not.

Don't be confused that "justice" is the goal here, just convictions.

[u/Ree_m0 → u/dicksjshsb]

They tried to take advantage of the fact that he wasn't able to keep his story 100% straight. A fact that was purely and exclusively caused by his injury they failed to provide treatment for.

[u/TrineonX → u/8bitAnarchist]

Poor guy was not even lucid. He had no idea where he was and what was going on. He was injured so bad that he didn't even know that he was injured.

This wasn't an option for him

[u/Codyyh → u/8bitAnarchist]

he had more and more brain damage as time went on.

[u/Parking_Pie_6809 → u/Classic-Ad8849]

that was my question. in the interrogation, you can clearly tell he is severely injured and the video quality isn’t even that great. the cop even says half of his nose is gone. like wtf.

[u/longhegrindilemna → u/Classic-Ad8849]

Because American cops do not behave like what you see in TV Show after TV Show, and movie after movie after movie. The cop with a good heart trying to help people in need.

In reality, American cops behave very differently. Guilty until proven innocent.

[u/snowflakes__ → u/Classic-Ad8849]

Medic here. If it was a smaller caliber sometime it can just look like a bruise or maybe burn mark. Like SO superficial.

I got fooled for several minutes once as a new medic. Dude was acting crazy so I was taking him in anyways and all I could find was a small bruise on his cheek. Happened to see a shell casing as we were loading him and put it together. Poor kid was shot in the face and there was no exit wound. It looked NOTHING like you’d expect a bullet wound to be. He didn’t survive.

[u/Drostan_S → u/Classic-Ad8849]

They literally assumed he was lying. He tried telling them he got shot in the face, and they replied with "Yeah you'd be dead, stop lying to me"

[u/Critical_Tomato1193]

Innocent until proven guilty was a suggestion to these integrators.

[u/nrseven → u/Critical_Tomato1193]

I guess in murica it's back to 'Guilty until prove innocent.'

[u/Someredditusername → u/nrseven]

They're working hard on it. "No criminal deserves due process" quote

[u/tqrtkr → u/Someredditusername]

What "due process" means? English is not my native language.

[u/Someredditusername → u/tqrtkr]

Basically all the legal proceedings to prove you are guilty or innocent. Right to have a lawyer, right to go to court, right to Habeas Corpus (they have to say where they're holding you, they can't lock you up and hide you). I'm sure there are legal people who have a better answer, but that's the basics.

[u/Azadom → u/Someredditusername]

Aren't there plenty of examples of habeaus corpus not applying since 1863 and continuing on? Murder convictions without a body, whatever Guantanamo Bay is, any executive action that cites some emergency. I wouldn't count on it being a viable legal defense.

[u/Someredditusername → u/Azadom]

Title someone a terrorist and you don't have to abide habeas corpus at all thanks to homeland protection laws. You don't have to prove them a terrorist, just call them one.

[u/Consistent-Task-8802 → u/Azadom]

The main problem is that it doesn't cover lying by omission.

They only have to tell you where you are if they directly and succinctly answer the question "Where is he right now?" Which they simply won't do, they'll go quiet - Which they also have a right to do.

Most would consider that "hiding" you, but the law has ruled repeatedly that it doesn't mean that, legally speaking.

[u/Chase_the_tank → u/tqrtkr]

"due" -> something that is deserved

"process" -> the legal work involved in court cases

In other words, "Follow the correct procedures for proving guilt; all citizens people deserve to be treated this way."

[u/Gorgon013 → u/Chase_the_tank]

Not to go all "um, actually," but it's not just citizens! Due process applies to everyone in the USA, including non-citizens.

[u/octarine_turtle → u/Gorgon013]

Applied. Now they just claim you're an illegal and a gang member and ship you off to prison in another country.

[u/Gorgon013 → u/octarine_turtle]

Unfortunately. :( That's why it's so important right now that people understand that everyone has the right to due process!

[u/Chase_the_tank → u/Gorgon013]

Thanks and fixed.

[u/spicy-chull → u/Chase_the_tank]

all citizens

All persons subject to the jurisdiction of.

Non-citizens have rights also.

[u/Professional_Fee5883 → u/spicy-chull]

And the reason for this is that without due process for all persons inside the US, we would de facto not have due process. Due process for all is vital to our freedom as citizens.

Authorities could just accuse you of not being a citizen and never give you a chance to prove it and send you off to a penal colony where they apparently can’t ever get you back.

And despite what our…simpler…fellow citizens say, defending due process is not defending violent gangs. It’s defending a core American value.

[u/fuck_all_you_too → u/tqrtkr]

Everybody gets their day in court basically

[u/oicu812buddy → u/nrseven]

Back to? Always has been. Well if you're poor that is.

[u/cornsaladisgold → u/nrseven]

It's actually just "guilty" now. Nobody is innocent, it's just a question of the cops figuring out what the charge is.

[u/psychophant_ → u/nrseven]

Luigi has entered the chat

[u/ethervillage → u/nrseven]

Unless you’re rich. Then it’s never guilty… for anything

[u/Shadowstriker6 → u/ethervillage]

Or if you're a cop, then it's a promotion

[u/Allergic_Allergy → u/ethervillage]

-and god forbid a commoner commits any crime to a 1%er, then it's the Noose.

[u/whatadumbperson → u/Critical_Tomato1193]

integrators

You didn't even try there.

[u/quality_snark → u/whatadumbperson]

He put in as much effort as the interrogators.

[u/guntheroac → u/Critical_Tomato1193]

That’s only for the wealthy.

[u/SilkenSeraph]

CORRECTION! Ryan was 18 years old at the time of the interrogation. He died a decade later, at the age of 27. During the 10 years after the interrogation, he endured several seizures and was partially blind before suffering from his final seizure and passing away.

Edit: He was NOT left for 3 days before being found. That is false. For those asking about the timeline, here’s what I found based on multiple sources:

December 23, 2006 – Ryan Waller and his girlfriend, Heather Quan, were attacked in their home during a break-in. Heather was fatally shot, and Ryan was shot in the head but survived.

Later that night – Ryan's parents became worried when he didn’t show up for Christmas dinner. They went to his house and, after getting no response, called the police.

Police arrive – Officers enter the home, find Heather deceased, and Ryan alive but severely injured. Despite having a gunshot wound to the eye, Ryan is detained and interrogated for approximately six hours (four hours in a police car + two hours in interrogation).

After six hours – Police finally realize the severity of his injuries, and he is taken to the hospital. However, the delay caused severe brain damage.

January 20, 2016 – Ryan Waller passes away due to complications from his injuries.

Sources:

Find a Grave – https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/228526929/ryan-thomas-waller

Reddit discussion on r/mrballen – https://www.reddit.com/r/mrballen/comments/oxseaw/ryan_waller_a_murder_investigation_gone_terribly/

Weird True Crime – https://weirdtruecrime.com/the-shocking-story-of-ryan-waller-heather-quan/

Medium Article – https://medium.com/@nikyoung/suspected-killer-turned-victim-the-tragic-death-of-ryan-waller-43ee0075ce

Unilad Article – https://www.unilad.com/news/crime/ryan-waller-shot-interrogated-police-497340-20231103

YouTube videos explaining the case:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZI8G0KOOtqk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6qJUqhT96Y

[u/marrangutang → u/SilkenSeraph]

I watched the police interrogation awhile back, he was confused and no coherent memory, or his explanations made no sense, of what happened… he should have been checked out immediately upon pickup you could see the moment that his interrogator realised that yea maybe he should be looked at… shame (and ridiculous) it took so long

[u/tombaba → u/marrangutang]

Yeah a bullet wound in even just the eye should mean a trip to the hospital asap. People are bending over backwards to absolutely slobber on boots as usual.

[u/werewere-kokako → u/tombaba]

One person with a fatal gunshot wound + a second unarmed, incoherent person with an obvious head injury = call a doctor.

The interrogation video is on YT and you can see the "oh shit" moment when the interrogator leans in and sees the entry wound in the bruised eye socket. Poor kid had that bullet in his brain the whole time those cops were manhandling him as an "uncooperative" suspect. I hope they carry his death on their consciences for the rest of their lives

[u/InternetExpertroll → u/werewere-kokako]

I hope they burn in hell.

[u/Shun_yaka → u/InternetExpertroll]

Very likely Hell only exists in this plane of reality pal

[u/NRMusicProject → u/marrangutang]

Police always seem to assume everyone but them are on drugs (even though they're more likely to be on something than their suspects). It's been years since I've seen the video and don't remember any of it, but I guarantee they assumed he was high or something.

When I was in college, a roommate and his girlfriend got in tons of fights. They'd usually argue out on the balcony and a neighbor would call the police. I was in classes from 7a-10p most days, so I'd come home, put something on the TV, and almost immediately fall asleep on the couch. When the police would respond to the calls and get let in, they'd try to get me to "confess" that I was on something because I had the audacity to fall asleep on my own couch.

[u/greeneggsnhammy → u/SilkenSeraph]

Just remember, there’s no songs called fuck the firefighters. Cops can be scum. Not all are, but a lot of them are. 

[u/PythonVyktor → u/SilkenSeraph]

You should be able to go back and update the original post.

[u/comFive → u/PythonVyktor]

No. You can’t edit titles, only the content

[u/SilkenSeraph → u/PythonVyktor]

Is that true? I've been spending the past 30 mins trying to figure that out.

[u/AndreKuhn → u/SilkenSeraph]

You should as in 'it should be allowed'.

[u/Synner1985 → u/SilkenSeraph]

Nicely done mate!! Massive thumbs up for posting sources so others can take a look into this mental case!

[u/SilkenSeraph → u/Synner1985]

Thank you! ☺️ It took some time finding the right information. Your comments made me triple check the info, and I sure did get some stuff wrong. 😖

[u/O_o-22 → u/SilkenSeraph]

Please tell me the family sued and raked that PD over the coals for this massive screw up.

[u/BabyBlastedMothers → u/O_o-22]

They sued, but apparently it was dismissed 3 weeks before trial after litigating for 4 years. Something to do with expert opinion on whether the delay in treatment caused any harm. Maybe the family's expert flipped, or attorney screwed up.

I can't find anything about an appeal.

[u/Dab_Kenzo → u/O_o-22]

Qualified immunity

[u/10art1 → u/Dab_Kenzo]

Doesn't protect the department or city

[u/BabyBlastedMothers → u/SilkenSeraph]

I just read the Maricopa County Attorney press release on the conviction of the one of the murderers. It seems to be missing something:

When officers from the Phoenix Police Department arrived, they found Waller still conscious. He was able to identify the assailants and was taken to the hospital, where he had part of his brain removed and lost his left eye as a result of the gunshot wound. Detectives later learned that Richie Carver was a former roommate of Waller’s.

Odd there's no mention of the hours of delay while they tried to force a confession from him.

[u/Shadowhawk0000 → u/SilkenSeraph]

Thank you for clarifying. This is terrible.

[u/qqqqqq12321]

That should be under the sad as fuck subreddit

[u/omyroj → u/qqqqqq12321]

or r/ProtectAndServe

[u/isnotreal1948 → u/omyroj]

They’d just ban you, they like their echo chambers

[u/SilkenSeraph → u/isnotreal1948]

Well said! 😂

[u/ItsAdvancedDarkness → u/omyroj]

Rofl those assclowns used the bullshit marketing slogan as their sub name? Amazing, they're so far up their own ass.

[u/P_516]

May the people who let him die also die. Let their assholes fall out of their body onto hot coals.

[u/WeirdHauntingChoice → u/P_516]

"I hope your anus prolapses onto hot coals" has to be one of the most impressively brutal and creative insults I've ever come across.

[u/220DRUER220 → u/P_516]

[u/LastMessengineer]

I watched the video of the interrogation years ago. It left me feeling pretty fucked up.

[u/ButterflyS919 → u/LastMessengineer]

The fact that he kept saying he had been shot and the cops just ignored him and kept saying -he- had done the shooting.... and then they finally have that Oh Shit! Moment and get him help.

The whole thing was so frustrating, partly because you already know the outcome, and partly because even not knowing you can tell something isn't right with him and the cops just keep prodding and prodding instead of getting a medical check out on him.

[u/HotPinkDemonicNTitty → u/ButterflyS919]

He was clearly speaking like someone with a head injury, they were idiots. Also I remember being unimpressed with the cop’s reaction once he saw the bullet wound. Didn’t seem urgent or apologetic enough for realizing someone’s been shot in the head and you’ve ignored it for hours. Had “um weird, let me go get my manager” vibes. The poor guy was already the victim of a crime and lost a loved one and then is subjected to this bs.

[u/InstanceDull3651]

this was one of the most messed up videos i watched. they mocked him for begging slow while they belittled him and degraded him. poor man was suffering and because of there own agenda they didnt save him.

[u/ImpulseSpot]

That's like the most fucked up thing I've seen today. I mean... wtf. People are so cruel. This is sad as fuck

[u/adamdoesmusic → u/ImpulseSpot]

The most fucked up thing is that so many Americans know that cases like this happen. Their response is almost always to give the cops even more unchecked power.

[u/Plane-No]

[u/LowHost4561]

This is really sad, I read a couple of years ago that he died due to seizures which he had to endure as a aftermath of this horrendous error of judgement by the police.

Just to clarify, the seizures were caused by the delay in him getting the treatment, he got them for years until the last one which resulted in his death after he fell and hit his head

[u/johnniechimpo]

Don’t talk to cops. If they want to talk to you, tell them you need an attorney. Cops are always collecting evidence. They might seem like they just want to have a conversation but they are actually trying to trick you into saying something incriminating.

[u/Admirable_Hunter_703]

Here is the story: https://www.themirror.com/news/us-news/arizona-couple-murder-father-son-965426.amp

[u/PossibleJazzlike2804]

What happened to the cops? Probably not guilty of anything.

[u/minnesotamoon → u/PossibleJazzlike2804]

The family spent four years preparing for the lawsuit, seeking justice for their son’s mistreatment during the investigation. Unfortunately, the lawsuit was unceremoniously dismissed just three weeks prior to the trial, leaving the family without the opportunity to pursue legal action against those responsible for their son’s mistreatment.

[u/longhegrindilemna → u/minnesotamoon]

THIS.

This is America!

[u/Jasoman → u/minnesotamoon]

And the cops will do this again.

[u/Alpha_Flight_2020]

More criminals with a badge.

[u/lastdarknight]

ever want to feel pure rage, watch one of those youtube interrogation channels

don't care if someone is 100% guilty, doesn't mean you can speed run violating every civil right

[u/CowboyKenobi]

This is fucked up mainly because it’s completely illegal to refuse someone medical treatment because of suspicion of a crime; they can be interrogated legally even bedside so long as it’s proven they’re coherent if you really wanna go that route.

[u/AllThingsBA]

Explore with us does a great video on it:

https://youtu.be/_c_lmx4LdNw?si=McNsAtJte8Z1A5yb

[u/SilkenSeraph → u/AllThingsBA]

Yes! It's amazing, but also very hard on the heart. Ryan's story is awful, watching the video made my heart ache. Tough watch 😖

[u/SCphotog]

Cops don't seem to understand or are unable to grasp that all the hate, all the ACAB sentiment is something they have earned through bad behavior.

Sure... there are 'good' cops, but there's not enough of them to stand up to the blue polyester thugs.

Just legalized gangs... all they offer is slow shitty response to crimes already committed.

It's a fucking sham on the population that we have to put up with such extreme incompetence. The police are as much a menace to society as anything else.

They have no ability for self reflection, only deflection and denial of what are ostensibly, uncomfortable truths about their fraternity.

[u/Familiar_Monitor8078]

it's just SO crazy that people hate and distrust police, isn't it wild?! /s

[u/Own-Dot1463]

Name names every single time.

The scumbag piece of trash known as Lead Detective Paul Dalton kept Waller in a cop car for 4 hours and then interrogated him for 2 without allowing medical professional to tend to him. Lead Detective Paul Dalton is responsible for Waller's death, and the Phoenix Police Department and the City of Phoenix are complicit.

[u/baconracetrack]

Every single person arrested should have a medical examination BEFORE put into full custody

[u/masterwaffle]

My brother is a paramedic who works in an area with a lot of drugs and homelessness. The stories he tells about cops being allowed to essentially make medicial decisions for those in their custody is infuriating and scary. He's had cops refuse to put a psych hold on an individual who was having a psychotic break and whose behaviours were a danger to themselves and others because they didn't want to do the paperwork. Legally they had the authority to refuse, despite multiple medically-informed opinions to the contrary. He's had cops refuse to let people in lockup who need serious medical attention go to the hospital because in their assessment it wasn't necessary (despite needing to call paramedics in the first place). He's had cops get in the way of resuscitation efforts because the individual was ODing.

Once the cops are involved they often get the final say in what happens to you. Your life is in their hands and it's terrifying.

[u/ntc2e]

/r/bad_cop_no_donut

[u/pease_pudding]

The whole interview is on youtube. It was shocking how he told the detective many times hed been shot in the eye, and was clearly suffering from brain trauma just by the way he was talking, even more so because his eye was clearly all messed up and black

But still the detective ignored it and kept interrogating him further. Once it became clear he needed medical attention after all, the detective shat his pants and realised he'd completely fucked up. So sad the poor guy died, all because of this useless fucker.

The detective was fired and served 3 years in prison for this, but still seems very lenient

[u/che-che-chester]

My gut reaction is I would have got him medical attention if only to cover my ass. But then I remember cops always get away with shit like this, so they don’t need to cover their ass.

[u/chronicblastmaster]

One of the most baffling things in this case was they noticed his bullet wounds AT THE END OF THE INTERROGATION! How the fuck you arrest someone, take their photo and interrogate them and not notice A fucking bullet hole in his face. Complete incompetence made an innocent man, a victim of a violent murder over money that survived long enough for help to come, only for that help to do everything but check on his wounds. Imagine surviving a high caliber bullet wound to the face, only for the cops to completely fuck you over. I'll say it again, he was a miracle, he was the witness the cops needed to actually solve the case, he survived a couple days without help, and the help that comes burn the only window you have left to survive and because a minimum of 3-6 officers failed to notice a (going off memory but I'm close) 45cal revolver bullet wound to the upper cheek/lower eye. The spot most people look when they are talking to another. I am forced to believe that not a single person in the police department who met this young man had enough respect for him to even look him in the eyes.

[u/slowcheetah2020]

Shit like this is why most of us hate cops or law enforcement. It’s always about them and never about the situation at hand. They’re mostly just dumb fucks who couldn’t do anything except be a hall monitor. This is what we get when idiots patrol the streets.

[u/According_Charity758]

Four words… I want my lawyer.

[u/BenTheCode]

Cops need to be charged

[u/Heckazon]

I remember seeing this on YT. Basically what happened, two guys broke into his girlfriend's and his apartment, they killed his girlfriend and shot him in the head. He survived the gunshot, was knocked out, woke up, and was basically wandering the apartment in a comatose state before anyone found them. When they found him he was taken to be interrogated. Keep in mind, throughout the whole interrogation, it was blatantly obvious something was wrong with him and they did nothing to help him or verify if he was in a right state of mind to be interrogated.

[u/h0m1c1d3_8unn13]

i saw his interrogation video and it was so insane. I really hope his family is alright. What an awful way to die I hope the officers who ignored him got fired but knowing the police i doubt it

[u/LelandGaunt14]

He told them that a man shot him with a bow and arrow.

They thought he was the murderer of his girlfriend. Really he was a victim.

[u/ThompsonReyes]

I have and I know people who have dealt with cops like this, they are shitty people who don't care about anything.

[u/Sea_Masterpiece2249]

Earning the hate one more time. Innocent until proven guilty sounds real nice. We all know it is a fantasy. Anything you say can and will be used against you, now that is a fact!

[u/LarssonBrother]

I really, really wonder how he got shot in his eye, but the cops were able to miss the wound for 6 hours? Or did it go in from a strange, unseen angle? Very interesting

[u/tanman8777]

Yet another story of useless police

[u/flamey7950]

Certified Cop Moment. This is a pattern at this rate. They hold a monopoly on cruelty and violence and have nothing to keep them in check. You cannot reform this garbage.

[u/With_Peace_and_Love_]

This was the most haunting police investigation I’ve ever watched.

You’re literally watching a kid, who has two bullets in his head, be shouted at and belittled by the police officer, while he desperately tries to explain to him that he was shot.

Literally the kid was dying in front of our eyes. So so so sad

[u/doesanyofthismatter]

Watch the interrogation. He clearly isn’t mentally there and mentions he got shot and they didn’t believe him. They mocked him.

Uneducated police officers man. Insane.

[u/Lonewuhf]

This story is so sad. His girlfriend was also kill by the people who shot him.

[u/socialdrop0ut]

This one has always stayed with me. Even through his confusion he tried to tell them multiple times and was ignored. I’d like to say I hope it haunts those officers but it probably won’t.

[u/llcdrewtaylor]

These police were ridiculous. They formed their idea of what happened and were blind to anything else. Look at this kids face. Listen to him talk for like 2 seconds. He should have been checked over by paramedics on the scene! That black eye could VERY much be the signs of a head injury.

[u/cultureisdead]

I HATE cops.

[u/Serious_Shopping_262]

If I remember right, he died some years later of a stroke or brain injury which doctors said were related to the bullet in his head. If they had treated him promptly perhaps he wouldn’t have died

[u/Parking_Pie_6809 → u/Serious_Shopping_262]

seizure 😔