BUFFALO, N.Y. — Willie Henley, 60, was known to walk the streets of downtown Buffalo. His granddaughter said he was homeless by choice.
Tameshia Walker said her grandfather often carried a baseball bat in his bag, but would only use it if someone bothered him.
Henley has now been charged with one count of assault in the second degree and one count of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, both are class D felonies.
“If they are going to charge my grandfather, they should charge the police officer too, because the police officer so-called had the train for mental health," Walker said. "So if they had the training then they should be held responsible for not treating a situation as just."
His granddaughter said Henley suffers from mental illness.
“He decided to be homeless," she said. "He decided that he did not want his family taking care of him.”
However the family was in contact with him and often knew his whereabouts.
As of Monday afternoon, the family of Willie Henley said he was back in the ICU at ECMC and listed as critical, but stable.
