Deputy Sheriff Would Not Confront Shooter

[4506517]

NBC News is reporting that an armed Deputy Sheriff assigned to the high school in Florida where 17 were shot did not confront the shooter.

He stayed outside for at least 4 minutes.

Apparently the Sheriff is also disciplining two other deputies in regards to earlier information about the shooter which was not acted upon.

As a sworn law enforcement officer, I find this appalling. Frequently in the line of duty I find myself scared or unsure of how a situation may evolve. It is up to me to harness that fear and push through it in order to survive and perform my duty.

 

[sigp220.45]

He resigned after being placed on unpaid leave.

 

[4506517]

The more I read the more I realize there were all kinds of things other than the gun that made this a tragedy.

 

[Triathloncoach]

Terrible. I don't believe you sign up to be a school guard expecting to get in a gun fight with a crazed person armed with a Modern Sporting Rifle. He failed those children. But I can't imagine the terror he felt, or that he was at all prepared. I feel strongly that I would respond with courage, but as they say you never know how someone will respond once the bullets fly. And he was alone. I do have some compassion for his ruined life. Some compassion.

He is a likely candidate for suicide watch.

 

[keith44spl]

Sad........As sad as the response at Columbine.

It's tough to run to the gunfire, a lot harder for some than others.

 

[moosedog]

This whole incident was a huge combination of errors that could have been prevented. What a shame.
I used to teach the Active Shooter training and I know there were those who you could not count on. Makes you wonder why cowards get into that line of work. If this story is true, that officer will live his or her personal hell forever. I would rather be dead than have let down those innocent victims down. How can you live with yourself?

 

[pharmer]

That's why this will fade from the headlines quickly. Vegas, Pulse niteclub, now this all have one factor in common. Joe

 

[4506517]

There are also reports that the Broward County Sheriff suspended two investigators after learning they did not properly handle earlier complaints about the gunman's behavior.

More and more information is coming to light showing that this entire tragedy was a tragic comedy of errors.

 

[4506517]

Thank you for having the courage to work as a Law Enforcement Officer. But how many times were you asked to enter a crowded building with an active shooter toting a rifle? Or anyone on your force? Terrifying situation.

I am tasked with entering dwellings daily in situations where there is no information on who, where, or if there are people inside.

Daily, I have to tactically clear buildings and structures without knowing what is around the corner. I have held numerous people at gunpoint.....sometimes anticipated, other times unanticipated.

There are times when I enter a building/structure knowing there are people inside.

I'm not trying to brag or make myself out to be any type of hero. My point is, I took this job KNOWING there would be times when it would be bad.

I have resolved inside myself that I will face no matter what is around that corner.

 

[keith44spl]

Broward County Sheriff Deputies are now going to start carrying AR-15 in their patrol units.

Kinda behind the curve, well, way behind.....

Broward County sheriff orders deputies to carry rifles on school grounds following Parkland shooting | Fox News


I started carrying an AR-15 in my un-mark'd unit out on the rural route in 2003...



.

 

[Triathloncoach]

I am tasked with entering dwellings daily in situations where there is no information on who, where, or if there are people inside.

Daily, I have to tactically clear buildings and structures without knowing what is around the corner. I have held numerous people at gunpoint.....sometimes anticipated, other times unanticipated.

There are times when I enter a building/structure knowing there are people inside.

I'm not trying to brag or make myself out to be any type of hero. My point is, I took this job KNOWING there would be times when it would be bad.

I have resolved inside myself that I will face no matter what is around that corner.

I love the Police. I have nothing but respect for their service and bravery. Thank you and all of your fellow LEO. I can't imagine the terror of combat. And for that I am blessed.

 

[Usmc5811]

I'm not LE but was Military Police many moons ago. I can't for the life of me think how an adult could sit outside and not enter. I understand you don't know how many shooters or what they are armed with. And back up may not be there. What you do know is that there is a school full of unarmed children that you are being payed to protect. I don't think I could look myself in the mirror the next day. But he's not the only one that failed those students. And all of you that are LEO I thank you and you have my utmost respect.

 

[moosedog]

Triathloncoach asks me...


Originally Posted by moosedog View Post

This whole incident was a huge combination of errors that could have been prevented. What a shame.
I used to teach the Active Shooter training and I know there were those who you could not count on. Makes you wonder why cowards get into that line of work. If this story is true, that officer will live his or her personal hell forever. I would rather be dead than have let down those innocent victims down. How can you live with yourself?

How many active rifle shooters have you engaged with a handgun?
__________________
Just hanging with my dogs

By the grace of God, we have never had an active shooter in a school situation where I worked. But I have been in several shootings and was a SWAT Team member. I walked the walk. I did not slow down my response time, hide or turn and run.

 

[venomballistics]

I understand that many things jumped the rails, with a high probability of political games involved. I understand that we are on our own here ... but this coward shouldn't have a country

 

[4506517]

I want to apologize if I am coming off a little rude here. I just re-read some of what I have posted and I feel like I got a little defensive, and I am I sorry.

I will try to not make this very personal but I would like to further explain.

I have been involved in many situations that scared me to death, caused me great confusion, led to me question myself and my reactions.

There have been many situations where I have come home and broken down in tears and literally shook because upon reflection, I was very scared. I have heard myself say things that I never thought I would hear myself say. I have been shaking so bad at times, that I had to have someone to hold me just to try and make it stop.

I have had nightmares after I witnessed someone shot in the head right in front of me at a distance of around 8-10 feet......that one took some time to get over, I'm not going to lie......that one was hard.......about 1 hour after that I got a phone call that my kid was on the way to the emergency room suffering from a massive seizure (she's epileptic).

Before I got into this line of work, I talked to my father at length about how to handle things like this. My father (partially disabled in Laos in the early 1960s) told me: make a place in your mind......put all that stuff there.....keep it in there.

My point in relaying all this is that I am no hero. My real heroes put on a uniform and deploy overseas. Many do not come home. My point is that no matter what, I will face what is out there. I think living with the knowledge that I didn't face whatever the danger/problem/situation was would be so much worse than anything that could happen.

I am not judging this deputy. Not one bit. Please don't think I am. I do believe this line of work was not for him. I think it is a tragedy that so many people had to die for him to realize he was in the wrong line of work.

 

[JayFramer]

I think these kind of situations call for something like a subcompact defensive carbine or a PDW class weapon. Something like an FN P90 or an HK MP7 or KAC PDW would be much lighter and easy to carry on the officer at all times yet would be tremendously more effective than most handguns for the job.

 

[brjr51]

It all points back to when the SHTF, the only one you can truly count on is yourself, whatever your choice may be.

Not the narrative some wish to acknowledge.

 

[eveled]

Terrible. I don't believe you sign up to be a school guard expecting to get in a gun fight with a crazed person armed with a Modern Sporting Rifle. He failed those children. But I can't imagine the terror he felt, or that he was at all prepared. I feel strongly that I would respond with courage, but as they say you never know how someone will respond once the bullets fly. And he was alone. I do have some compassion for his ruined life. Some compassion.

He is a likely candidate for suicide watch.

He should pay back every nickel he was ever paid. Why did he think he was there, if not to protect the kids. There are things worse than death.

 

[PPS1980]

Lets remember that at least two unarmed and unarmored people ran toward the gunfire and one lost his life defending students while an armed and armored law enforcement officer did not. The fantasy Gun Free Zone is as much to blame as the series of errors committed by the Sheriff and his deputies. If the coach had been allowed to carry his CC weapon, that day would have ended rather differently.

 

[Stevens]

Lets remember that at least two unarmed and unarmored people ran toward the gunfire and one lost his life defending students while an armed and armored law enforcement officer did not. The fantasy Gun Free Zone is as much to blame as the series of errors committed by the Sheriff and his deputies. If the coach had been allowed to carry his CC weapon, that day would have ended rather differently.

I agree!, that coach and the other teacher faced the shooter UNARMED! Heroes! What a difference concealed carried guns might have made!
Sadly the media will never bring that up, nor the reports that the shooter was looking at bomb making sites on the internet. Without his AR he might have used a more deadly bomb!
Steve W