1) opened fire without warning in a mobile home park 2) suffered an apparent panic attack four minutes later and was forcibly disarmed by a paramedic Well, I feel bad for the Deputy, but this clearly isn't the job for him. That's ok, it isn't the job for a lot of people, but they need to get him off the street ASAP.
That was two years ago and he's still working. And there was no mention of discipline for his partner that filed trumped up charges and a false report either.
I've read that article a couple of times now and, if factually reported, my position still stands: there is no way that Deputy should be in the field. There is just so much wrong there. And how that couple still faces charges is amazing...
Hint - watching it multiple times doesn't help. I think that he saw the person on the porch of the trailer through the trees, perceived them to be a threat, and opened fire. I don't know how he could ascertain that they were a legitimate threat that required lethal force as they don't seem very visible, but maybe he had a better viewed that is offered by the wide angel lens on the body cam (I actually though it was a pretty good body cam). However, during all of this yelling, shooting, running for cover, and subsequent yelling, the other paramedic is just standing around. He clearly sees know threat. The other paramedic on the ground doesn't seem concerned either. The only one running for cover and expressing any concern is the deputy. Of course, he has training that they don't, but most people know to run for cover at the site of a gun. These guys are standing around like they are trying to figure out what to the deputy is shooting at...
The fact is that there's a chance that he could have actually hit and killed an entire family or at least one family member who were all completely unarmed, and the officer could have said that he thought he saw something in their hand, and the shooting would have been totally justified, and there would have been people, maybe even on this website, that would have came to the officers defense. Not kidding. Its sad, but true.
If you play it in slow motion there is clearly a person on the porch. And then if you play it back and focus on ignoring the woman's yelling you can her the person, a male state loudly, "I'm recording you mother******". She then yells "Ouch" and the first shot is fired, probably 1 sec after the expletive. In all likelyhood, he reacted as he was trained. i.e. Today is likely your last day on this planet, do whatever it takes to go home tonight. A person was holding an object, shoot them and sort it out later.
Yep, holding a cell phone recording a police officer is now considered taking lethal Force against a police officer, lethal force from the officer is authorized.