Porterville (CA) Police Thugs Murder Unarmed Vincent Steen

By | January 14, 2010

by Brian A. Wilkins
1/14/2010 (links, videos, and photos updated December 9, 2018)

Vincent Steen

Judging from the past three months in Porterville, CA – about 70 miles southeast of Fresno – police policy there is shoot to kill any citizen who embarrasses them, bruises their egos, or refuses to play along with their harassment.

The latter is what happened to Mr. Vincent Steen, a burly 6’4 former amateur league football player, who was murdered in cold blood by Porterville police thugs on Sunday, January 10.

This all started when Mr. Steen was minding his own business, riding his bicycle. Mr. Steen committed a “traffic violation” (on his bike no less), so the harassment ensued, according to the police thugs. Porterville Police said “a fight broke out between the officer and bicyclist.” They then used their electrocution toys (Taser) on Mr. Steen, but he was able to run away, into his mother’s home. The police thugs, who have obviously watched far too many cop movies, kicked down the door of the home, located Mr. Steen, and fired several shots, killing him instantly, right in front of his mother and 23-year-old brother.

Watch a report from KMPH Fox 26 in Fresno.

Of course the police thugs’ names are being protected by the City of Porterville, and both were rewarded with paid vacations for the murder.

RELATED: Cathy Connor, Vincent Steen’s mother, get $750,000 settlement from Porterville

The murder of Mr. Steen brings back the recent memory of young Mr. Joe Edwin Bowles, who was murdered in cold blood back on October 20 by Porterville police thug Chris McGuire. Mr. Bowles was simply exiting a Chili’s Restaurant or the Evolution’s Gym in Tulare, CA. Not only was thug McGuire out of his jurisdiction, but was not even in uniform. There was not even a “physical confrontation” in this case, as police thugs normally will assert to justify murder. The story Porterville Police are sticking to is that Mr. Bowles was tampering with cars.

Mr. Eusebio Prieto, in yet another incident back on July 24, 2008, was murdered by Porterville police thugs after allegedly “brandishing” a screw driver. This was enough for the  killer cops to use the “our lives and the public’s lives were in danger” spiel. The cops who murdered Mr. Bowles and Mr. Prieto were also rewarded with paid vacations.

Though the family of Mr. Steen will file federal civil rights claims against the Porterville Police, this, again, will not bring back their son and brother. There of course will be no criminal charges filed against the murderers, however a kangaroo investigation (and the murderers’ paid vacations) will likely stretch 8-12 weeks before this inevitable news is reported.

Our thoughts are with the Steen family.

10 thoughts on “Porterville (CA) Police Thugs Murder Unarmed Vincent Steen

  1. Dan LawlerJR

    I am Vincents good friend. I was real close to him and his family. Also I play football with vinny. WE call him vinny or lumberjack. I was the last one to drop him off at his moms house after practice on sunday the 10th. I I am deeply saddened . He meant alot to me . We met a t age 16 . Ever since school me and vinny were always skateboarding, lifting weights , and playing football. The last year or so me and vince were always together hanging out and playing nintendo WII. Me and my girlfriend Julie were always going places. I will not let this go unheard , it makes me feel honored that everyone at this website contributed to vincents truth . He was murdered by “hot shot” stupid cops, and I dont care if the whole world hears me say that. I have respect for our law system, as did vince. Its the dirty cops that I want to RID THE WORLD of . Hopefully, with vinnys passing we can open the eyes of the world to a harsh example of mis -identification . VInce will always be with me, in mind and body
    much love
    from the LAWLER family
    dan–

    Reply
  2. Jenny

    I can’t believe this! I am sooo furious with the Porterville Police Department. I have a restraining order against my neighbor and we have had to call the police sooo many times yet they do nothing! But they shoot down a guy that “looks suspicious” and he has no weapon! Shame on you Porterville Police Department! The officers will never know what it feels like to lose a loved one especially gunned down right in front of your eyes.

    Reply
  3. Brock C

    Vincent was my cousin and I am so glad that this is getting the attention it needs. This is totally outrageous and should have never happened.

    Reply
  4. Joshua Coburn

    The Police in this city are either too incompetent, and/or, too corrupt to be allowed the honor of protecting and serving the citizens of California… The men who shot Vincent are murderers and anybody who lied to the investigators is an accomplice to murder. This is a message to you officers who are covering this mess up… “YOU ARE MURDERERS AND YOU WILL GO TO PRISON FOR IT, AND PAY FOR IT THE REST OF YOUR LIFE; IF NOT LITERALLY, THEN KARMA WILL CATCH UP WITH YOU IN THE END!”

    RIP VINCENT

    Reply
  5. Harley Brown

    I am freind of the family and i think that the porterville police always do the dumbest thing. “SHOOT FIRST AND ASK QUESTIONS LATER” THIS TOWN IS REALLY GETTING TO BE RIDICULOUS AND THIS EVENT SHOULD NOT OF EVEN HAPPENED. THE OFFICER WHO SHOT THIS MAN IS A BIG HIPOCRIT!!! I think that this cop shud be fired! This cop is a BASTARD and needs to have the same happen to him. What wud he say if that was his family that was killed???? He would say the same wouldnt he? YES! so this officer is a lier and nothing but a no good peice of shit!!!!! KARMA WILL FIND YOU AND WHEN IT DOES I HOPE IT KILLS YOU!

    Reply
  6. theonly sense

    The problem with jumping on the band wagon to announce that all cops, teachers, priests, etcetera are corrupt or bad is that it is ignorant. Regardless of the facts of this case, the ignorant band wagon thinking leads to the breeding of ignorant thinking children. It’s a cycle that must stop. So if you’re a “jump on the band wagon” ignorant hick do us all a favor and stop breeding. Or, if you must breed, don’t teach your children to be ignorant, teach them to use somecommon sense. In this casecommon sense would dictate that unless you were there, you have no business speculating as to what happen. For example, I was not there so I can’t possiblycomment on the behavior or actions of either Vincent or the cops. Doesn’t that make sense? Now you all try it. It’s sad that tragedies like this really show the ignorance, stupidity and overall lack of logical thinking people show. Grow up.

    Reply
  7. Missy

    You act like these officers haven’t ever experienced the hurt of losing someone close… Obviously you don’t know anything, either that or you are just not observant. You may be right, maybe some of them haven’t had loved ones shot in front of them, but I can guarantee you everyone of those police officers have been shot at. Do you know what it’s like to walk up to a vehicle not knowing what the occupants have in their hands? Do you remember the day that Detective Kent Haws was shot and killed while doing his job??? Do you remember when to two officers from tulare got shot?
    Did you hear about the four Lakewood Police Officers that lost their lives while drinking coffee?? Probably not, you know why? Because you care of nobody but yourself. You can sit here and bash the police but I can guarantee you that you will call them when you need something. Did you ever think that for a second that maybe “Vinny” had done something wrong? of course not because you believe what you want to believe. Do you think that’s right?
    You can’t blame them, have you ever worked in the line of work that they do everyday? Do you know what it’s like to be shot at, going to work not knowing whether or not you’re going home to your family and friends the next day? NOPE.. so word of advice just shut your mouth because you don’t know anything that these people go through. Unless you work in the same line of duty and experience the things that they do, you don’t need to be talking. Because you will NEVER know what’s it’s like.

    Reply
    1. Heads

      Vincent was riding his bike a few blocks to a house on Cottage with an intent to play video games and ended up shot. If these officers have been so damn traumatized that they have to shoot when their is 3 of them with night sticks maybe they shouldn’t be cops. I heard from a woman who worked as a sheriff at the time that the entire force was pissed at the one who made the stop and I won’t say his name but fuck him, for having to cover this one up. Being a cop doesn’t remove accountability from action and I know that you abuse your damn authority at PDC all the time.

      Reply
  8. Invicta

    This was a terrible tragedy. The Steen family has suffered at least 4 tragic losses regarding young men from that family, dating back to the early 1980s. I was a close friend of Vincent’s cousin, Mark Steen. He was murdered and his body left in his vehicle in front of my home in Tulare, Ca (a mere 20 miles from Porterville), in 2001. The Tulare police have never arrested anyone for that crime. Mark’s father Rick Steen, committed suicide in 1982, and Mark and Vincent’s uncle also named Mark Steen, died in a horrific electrocution accident in the family pool in 1980. Endless heartache for these folks… almost like a curse. I hope that before I die I know who murdered my friend and left him so close to my home.

    Reply
  9. RB

    If they can’t handle the job they should be removed. Period. In NY they just indicted a cop for an identical shooting… This is acceptable only in Tulare County.

    Reply

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