Several agencies executed numerous search warrants before dawn early in January. But when the SWAT team, complete with guns drawn, forced their way into the home at 36 Sharon Drive, they didn’t find the “Michael” they kept screaming for. It wasn’t because Michael was hiding or even out for the night--it was because Michael lived down the street at 46 Sharon Drive.

The McKay family, including husband David, wife, 13 year old daughter, and brother-in-law, were all roused from their sleep and rounded up by masked law enforcement agents. The child was pulled from her bed and “drug” down the stairs. She would later be taken to the emergency room for the resulting asthma attack, vomiting, and fainting episode. The entire family was led outside while officers searched inside for Michael, dad in his underwear on the front lawn all the while explaining no such person lived there.

Soon after the raid on the McKay home the local DA admitted their agency assisted with the raids but directed any and all questions to the Drug Enforcement Agency who led the collaborative effort. Several days later, the DEA issued a statement. They didn’t call the family or afford them the decency of a face to face apology—they released a statement to the press. In the statement they didn’t exactly apologize for their pretty basic blunder either, they “regretted” the fact that the McKay’s were “inadvertently affected by this enforcement operation.”

While the local law enforcement seems content to cast blame on the DEA, their role can’t be minimized. When they offer up Spring Valley officers to assist in raids, they put their reputation on the line and must be held responsible for the results of those raids as well. Call on Spring Valley Mayor Noramie F. Jasmin and Police Chief Paul Modica to take responsibility for their officer’s role in the raid and issue a formal apology directly to the McKay family.

Photo credit: Kuxika Blas