[WonderMomma]

mr_feelgood - of course I thought of you when I saw this story.

"Florida police officer opens fire on his patrol car after mistaking sound of falling acorn for gunshot

Newly released footage of the incident, which took place in November 2023, shows dramatic moments where a police officer, frightened by the sound of an acorn, shoots at his own patrol car while a neutralized suspect is still inside in handcuffs. The officer yells "I'm hit!"

Detained in the car again. They searched and, of course, found no weapons.

Squirrel trolled"

[mr_feelgood]

The insanity the world has come to

A.S.A.B

I don't have any obese squirrel photos on hand

[Hogmann]

That dude needs to lay off the Celsius and Red Bull

[William May]

Squirrel Elements once again carry out their nefarious labors!!!

[kellyhound]

The guy in the patrol car was not hit.

That morning, Hernandez, a sergeant and another deputy had responded to a call from a woman who said her boyfriend had stolen her car and was sending her threatening messages. The woman told deputies that the man had a weapon, the report said.

Police detained the boyfriend and searched his car after handcuffing him and placing him the back of Hernandez’s patrol car.

That’s where he was when the acorn hit the vehicle.

As Hernandez approached the passenger side door of his patrol car, he heard a popping sound which he later told investigators he perceived to be a gunshot. And he said he believed he had been hit.

“He began yelling ‘shots fired’ multiple times, falling to the ground and rolling,” the sheriff’s report said. “He fired into the patrol car.”

Sgt Beth Roberts heard the gunfire and Hernandez’s screams – and began firing into the car as well, the report said.

While the county’s state attorney’s office found no probable cause for criminal charges, the sheriff’s internal affairs investigation determined Hernandez’s use of force was “not objectively reasonable”. Hernandez resigned on 4 December, the sheriff’s office said.

Roberts’ use of deadly force was found to be reasonable, and she was exonerated, the report found.

The Okaloosa sheriff, Eric Aden, said he realizes the situation was “traumatic” for the suspect, and his office has incorporated the shooting into training for other deputies.

He also said he did not believe that Hernandez acted with malice.

“Though his actions were ultimately not warranted, we do believe he felt his life was in immediate peril and his response was based off the totality of circumstances surrounding this fear,” Aden said.

Reviews of the case by the sheriff’s criminal investigations division and the county’s state attorney’s office found no probable cause for criminal charges for Hernandez, who started with the agency in January 2022.

[mr_feelgood]

[Mr.NoCredit]

He seems a bit high strung for his job.

[Nofx99]

Perhaps he shouldn't have a gun...

[William May]

Originally Posted by Nofx99 ↗

Perhaps he shouldn't have a gun...

ummmm.............they could give him acorns!

[azblue81]

Did he just shoot up his own car?