On November 12th, 2023, Deputy Jesse Hernandez of the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Department fired shots at his own patrol vehicle while exclaiming that he had been hit.
Another deputy, Sergeant Beth Roberts, also used deadly force in response to the apparent threat.
However, it was later discovered that no one had actually shot at Deputy Hernandez and he had not been injured.
Recently released body-camera footage reveals that Deputy Hernandez approached his patrol car at 9:29 am after apprehending a suspect who had been causing disturbance by driving around and honking their horn since 3 am.
A woman had reported to the police that her boyfriend, Marquis Jackson, had stolen a car and was sending her threatening messages.
One of these messages included a picture showing what appeared to be a firearm suppressor pointing towards the dashboard.
Deputy Hernandez handed over a Victim’s Rights form to the suspect’s girlfriend, who had made the initial call for service, while Jackson was detained and restrained in the back of the patrol vehicle.
In the footage captured by the body-cam, Hernandez passes his passenger side door to conduct a secondary search of the detainee. Suddenly, a cracking sound is heard, which prompts the deputy to believe it’s a gunshot.
Reacting swiftly, he drops to the ground and rolls around while repeatedly shouting “Shots fired!” Afterwards, Hernandez rises up to a kneeling position and proceeds to fire approximately eleven rounds towards his own patrol car.
Subsequently, he falls onto his side and fires another six shots before reloading his weapon.
As he crawls towards what he perceives as a place of safety behind another vehicle in a nearby driveway, sounds of pain can be heard from him as he claims to have been hit.
WATCH:
An investigation of the incident is ongoing.
