The city of Yamhill, Oregon has never seen such a brutal act of violence committed by the very man sworn to protect and to serve the community. A 4-year-old boy was beaten by a reserve officer so brutally he had to be flown by LifeFlight helicopter to a Portland hospital where he is still in critical condition.

Yamhill County sheriff’s deputies responded to a medical call concerning an injured 4-year-old. The type of injuries on the boy’s body indicated that he was physically abused, and the first suspect was his mother’s boyfriend, 34-year-old Michael Shane Abo. After a three day investigation, Abo, a former Yamhill County Sheriff’s deputy, was arrested.

KATU TV news reporter interviewed Abo’s neighbors and came to a shocking conclusion that this horrifying act didn’t come as a surprise to them. Ruby Swartz, one of the neighbors, said that there was something odd about Abo.

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“I think he should be persecuted as far as he can be”, said Swartz, still shaken up by witnessing the ambulance taking the boy.

Abo is currently in custody in the Yamhill County Correctional Facility. He is charged with first degree assault and criminal mistreatment. Due to the severity of the child’s injuries, he’s held on $1 million bail.