Another Pellet Gun pointed at LEO

[DaveH]

Predictable results.

How dumb do they come?

Depuyt Shoots Man Who Pointed Pellet Gun At Him, Officials Say

Depuyt Shoots Man Who Pointed Pellet Gun At Him, Officials Say

TBO.com

Published: March 26, 2009

Updated: 47 min. ago

A Hillsborough County sheriff's deputy shot a man this evening after the man pointed a gun at him, sheriff's officials said.

The shooting happened along Mango Road, near Mango Elementary School.

According to the sheriff's office, a deputy responded to that area at about 6:40 p.m. after someone called the sheriff's office to report a man was walking in the area carrying a rifle with a scope.

When Deputy Ricco Palermo confronted the man and asked him to put the gun down, the man instead turned and pointed what appeared to be an "assault-type'' rifle at him, according to Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Jose Docobo.

Palermo fired once, hitting the man in the abdomen, Docobo said. Palermo was not injured.

The sheriff's office identified the man as Gilbert Velez, 56, of 7115 Dellwood Drive. He was taken by medical helicopter to Tampa General Hospital, where he is listed in critical condition.

Docobo said the rifle turned out to be a pellet gun. "Even at relatively close distance, it looks real,'' he said.

The incident happened between Mango Elementary and a shopping center. Mango Road is shut down in both directions, and evidence technicians continue to work the scene.

Neighbors who stopped by the scene after the shooting said Velez has been known to stay at a nearby homeless camp. Docobo said investigators have not confirmed that.

Palermo, 36, is a 10-year veteran of the sheriff's office. He will be placed on administrative leave with pay pending review, which is standard procedure in such cases.

A backup deputy responding to the scene was involved in a traffic accident and was taken to a local hospital. Her injuries do not appear to be serious, Docobo said.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[mlr1m]

Even if he knew it was a pellet gun he should be ok in defending himself. I never have understood the logic that one must accept pain or damage to ones body if its not considered life threatening.

A pellet in the eye could be life threatening why should anyone have to take that chance?

Michael

[OMEGA2669]

I posted almost the exact same reply in another thread.

I was pulled over once and had an air soft gun in my glove box (replica of the Walther P99, looks and feels exactly like it), I opened it to get my insurance information, saw it, told the officer that I had an Airsoft gun on top of my insurance info, and that I was more than willing to step out of the car so she could see for herself. She thanked me for informing her and had me step out, she looked at it (ejected the magazine pulled back the slide) gave it back and said thanks. She went on to tell me how she had her gun against a drivers head for pulling one out of his glove box in a similar situation.

Even a toy gun, squirt gun painted black, airsoft, even potato gun. They all look like guns. I would have shot him too.

[retsupt99]

Pointing a sidearm of any type at another individual who is armed is a rather foolish thing to do. This gives the 'armed individual' only a moment to make a decision to defend his/her own life.

I would have to assume that a gun pointed at me has 'intended bodily harm' attached, and I would have to make a decision in less than a second...do I tell my brain to begin the the response mode or wait and see if I'm really going to get shot? I don't think that I would choose the latter.

Stay armed...think quickly...stay safe!

[Tint Bob]

In the UK pellet guns are limited to 12ftlbs..... But they are still enough to kill (see link below)

Boy killed by air rifle - mirror.co.uk

Tint Bob (UK)

[Janq]

Even if he knew it was a pellet gun he should be ok in defending himself. I never have understood the logic that one must accept pain or damage to ones body if its not considered life threatening.

A pellet in the eye could be life threatening why should anyone have to take that chance?

Agreed on both assertions.

- Janq

[rottkeeper]

If they wait to identify the weapon as real they are dead if it is. While he will more than likely be clear from any criminal wrong doing he will more than likely have to sweet out a civil trial.

[Bunny]

*shakes head sadly*

I'd go off on a rant about general stupidity and ask how many people here have watched the movie "Idiocracy," because articles like this make wonder about IQ of the general populace.

he was **this** close to winning a Darwin Award.

[PNUT]

Any idiot that points a gun of ANY kind at a Cop deserves what he gets. After shooting the guy someone should go to his hospital room and slap him around for stupidity.
I'd leave to hear the reasoning behind this type of act. Was it attempted suicide by Cop ? A bad,bad, joke ? Or what ? Just once I wish that someone would ask a clown like Gilbert the question....Why ?

[JOHNSMITH]

Indeed. I guess more people need to realize just how authentic a lot of pellet guns, especially the high-dollar ones, really look.


If I didn't tell you this wasn't real and you didn't see it up close, would you know?




YouTube - Redwolf Airsoft - New Western Arms M4 CQB-R with Blowback

[mlr1m]

This makes me think back to them kids that filmed themselves driving around shooting pedestrians whit paint ball guns. I always wonder what whould have happened if they had chose the wrong vitcim. Or if a bystander had seen the victim fall after being hit and returned fire.

Michael

[Miggy]

This makes me think back to them kids that filmed themselves driving around shooting pedestrians whit paint ball guns. I always wonder what whould have happened if they had chose the wrong vitcim. Or if a bystander had seen the victim fall after being hit and returned fire.

Michael

YouTube - Paintball Drive By Shooting

[64zebra]

we've had some officers shoot people with bb/airsoft guns here too
thats their fault for being careless with them

I conducted a traffic stop a few weeks ago and there on the rear speaker shelf behind the back seat was what appeared to be an "evil black rifle", I quickly realized it was a airsoft but it could have been ugly real quick

we keep having spurts of car windows getting shot out with BB guns, hopefully we don't have a bad encounter with the people doing it

[QKShooter]

Check out the Galil airsoft.


Looks pretty doggone real to me.

The best and most realistic one retails for more $$$ than I paid for my original IMI Galils way back when.

[JOHNSMITH]

Indeed. Some of these airsoft guns are more expensive than their real-life counterparts. Of course, if you live in a country where you can't get the real thing anyway, it might be worth it if you're that big of an airsoft fanatic.