Randy Evans death: What happened to Robert Torsney after Randy Evans shooting in November 1976?
15‐year‐old Randolph Evans, a ninthgrader at Franklin K. Lane High School, was shot point blank in the East New York section of Brooklyn by 31‐year‐old white policeman Robert H. Torsney who had an unblemished record during his eight years on the force.
Officer Torsney fellow officers were shocked, saying he was not “triggerhappy,” and he had never made racial slurs.
After Randy Evans death, Robert was arrested and charged with murder. He was released later on a bond of $20,000 posted by the Patrolman’s Benevolent Association.
Randy Evans death: How Robert Torsney killed Randolph Evans, how Randy Evans shooting happened
According to reports, Officer Robert Torsney had started his tour of duty the fateful day Thanksgiving Day at 3:30 P.M.
At 11:03 P.M.,his radio crackled with the report of a man with a gun at 515 Fountain Avenue, in the Cypress Hills housing project.
Officer Torsney and his partner, Officer Matthew Williams, arrived at the address in about seven minutes.
They went to the second floor but two other units had gone first and the matter had been attended to. The police said they had not found anyone with a weapon, but had settled a family argument.
The six officers who had responded to the radio call then left to return to their cars. On a walk outside the building, Officer Torsney encountered young Randolph and five friends.
According to Randolph’s friend, Mark Williams:
“Randy asked, ‘Did you go into Apartment 70?’ And the cop walked up to him and said ‘Damned right,’ then shot him in the head.”
Randolph reportedly fell and young Williams added:
“and the cop walked over and flashed a flashlight in Randy’s face, then turned, walked to the curb and started running toward the car.”
Other policemen had reported only that there had been a brief conversation, which they had not heard, and that Officer Torsney had then pulled his revolver and shot the youth once.
They said he then continued walking to his car despite their calls telling him to stop and their asking, “What’s going on?”
Randolph Evans, aka Randy Evans was rushed to Brookdale Hospital at Linden Boulevard and Brookdale Plaza, where he died.
The police said they had found, a few feel from where the youth fell, half of a pair of pliers and a bicycle sprocket. But they could not say whether the youth had been carrying them.
Officer Torsney was arrested and suspended at his station house the 75th Precinct on Sutter Avenue. The arrest was made by Sgt. John Stack of the field internal affairs unit.
At Officer Torsney’s arraignment yesterday afternoon in Brooklyn Criminal Court, an assistant District Attorney, Gordon Haesloop, asked that he be sent to the Kings County Medical Center for psychiatric observation.
Heartbroken neighbours described Randy as a young boy known to never cause trouble, he was a very friendly child and he loved life.
Randy’s father, Raymond Evans, believed his son’s shooting was “out and out murder.”
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On the day of Evans’ funeral, Officer Torsney was indicted by a grand jury on charges of second-degree murder.
Torsney trial began in October 1977 and according to his defense, Randy Evans killing resulted from a psychotic episode due to an epileptic condition.
Torsney was found NOT guilty by reason of insanity on Nov. 30, 1977, and sent to Creedmoor Psychiatric Center.
A little over a year later, on Dec. 20, 1978, a Brooklyn Supreme Court ordered Torsney’s release, stating he was no longer a threat to society.
Where is the officer now?
uhhhh…. so where is he today? As in…. the title of the article?
Torsney died in 2009.
That asshole got to live another 30 years because of a racist court system that should’ve put him on death row. Insanity my ass. If he were so insane, why the hell was he ever allowed to wear a badge?