Sunday night an off duty deputy opened fire as a alleged drunk driver tried to run him over. It's a situation that is very sensitive within the sheriff's office right now... Especially with the loss of Deputy Margena Nunez. Deputy Ali Zariv was trying to take the keys out of Kennith Ready's ignition, when Ready stepped on the gas. The Sheriff's Office says Zariv was being dragged and if he had let go the truck, Ready would have run over him. Ready isn't giving an account because... Well he's dead.
The Sheriff's office seems to think the shooting will be justified... And from what we've seen so far it probably will be. However I still have some intriguing questions, no one can seem to answer.
For instance:
Where does an off duty cop keep his gun? Certainly not on his belt... Perhaps around his ankle? If that's the case then deputy Zariv had one arm in the truck, another reaching for his ankle... And he didn't fall out of the truck?
Did Deputy Zariv announce he was a deputy? What did Zariv do to confirm to Ready he was deputy?
Deputies are responsible for every bullet they fire. Did any of Zariv bullets miss its target? After all he's flailing in a moving truck, shooting with one hand, with a gun that is kicking back.
Once the Sheriff office and the State Attorney's Office complete their investigation hopefully we will have a complete picture. Some questions may be answered easily... Such as Zariv flashed his badge identifying himself as a deputy. Some questions will be more difficult... Such as did Zariv put the public at more risk, taking less accurate shots in desperation.
The reality is, given the circumstance, I too might have opened fire to save my life. But as a Monday morning quaterback... I look at this situation and say how could we have avoided this shooting in the first place.
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After seeing this comment left on this web site I felt I had to respond. I don’t believe that the loss of Deputy Margena Nunez has anything to do with this shooting. The officer would have stopped and rendered assistance whether she had been killed or not. The officer had seen a civilian hunched over his steering wheel and went to investigate. What if the person had been having a heart attack? What if someone had seen a person whom they knew was an off duty officer, just leave a situation like that. Would the officer be in trouble for not doing anything at all? The officer was only trying to help someone. How many people just passed this person in possible distress, and walked the other way? Remember the officer did not have to stop. He was with his girlfriend, doing what everyone else does. And Ready is not giving an account....He's dead. Making a statement like that only seems to ask for symphony for a person who started the incident. The other witnesses gave very similar accounts, and they were very similar to what the officer said.
As to the question, "Where does an off duty cop keep his gun?" This can be answered very easily. It depends on the officer. A smaller framed officer will keep his weapon in a spot that can keep it concealed. This could be a different place than a larger framed officer would place it. It may be in a place other than the ankle. In this situation, a reasonable person would have to assume that the gun was not on an ankle, but somewhere he would have been able to get to while being dragged by the car. Why would someone assume the gun would be somewhere he could not get to?
Also the question as to if Zariv announced if he was a deputy. We won’t know this until the investigation, but please understand that this entire incident happened extremely quickly.
Yes, all officers are responsible for every bullet they fire. "After all he's flailing in a moving truck, shooting with one hand, with a gun that is kicking back." This comment was made in this blog. This situation was a very difficult one to make a decision in. The officer made it in a split second while his life and others near the car were in danger. What if he had not shot? What if he just fell out of the car and called it in to dispatch? During the ensuing pursuit Ready kills a family of four in a passing mini-van. Is the officer in trouble for not shooting? After all we give them weapons for a reason, right? They are not just for show.
"The reality is, given the circumstance, I too might have opened fire to save my life. But as a Monday morning quarterback... I look at this situation and say how could we have avoided this shooting in the first place."
Saying that “I too might have opened fire to save my life”, means you don’t know why officers do their job. We are not out there to save out own lives. We are out there to save other people's lives. The officer was put in this position, not by his doing, but by Ready’s. Monday morning quarterbacking is fine...But why not quarterback the person who was wrong. Not the person who was right. Why not ask "Would I drink more than I can handle before I get in to my car"? How about, "Would I drive away when someone civilian or not, is trying to stop me from endangering other people?” How about checking Ready’s driving records. Lets see if he as done anything like this before?
As to the last part. How could this situation be avoided? That’s easy, Ready should not have done what he had done. People should not drink and drive.
As to the question, "Where does an off duty cop keep his gun?" This can be answered very easily. It depends on the officer. A smaller framed officer will keep his weapon in a spot that can keep it conceled. It may be in a place other than the ankle. In this sitution, a reasonalbe person would have to assume that the gun was not on an ankle, but somewhere he would have been able to get to while being dragged buy the car. Why would someone assume the gun would be somewhere he could not get to?
Also the question as to if Zariv announced if he was a deputy. We wont know this until the invistigation, but please understand that this entire incident happened extremely quickly.
Yes, all officers are responsible for every bullet they fire. "After all he's flailing in a moving truck, shooting with one hand, with a gun that is kicking back." This comment was made in this blog. This sitution was a very difficult one to make a decesion in. The officer made it in a split second while his life and others near the car were in danger. What if he had not shot? What if he and just fell out of the car and called it in. During the ensuing pursuit Ready kills a family of four in a passing mini-van. Is the officer in trouble for not shooting? After all we give them weapons for a reason, right? They are not just for show.
"The reality is, given the circumstance, I too might have opened fire to save my life. But as a Monday morning quaterback... I look at this situation and say how could we have avoided this shooting in the first place."
Saying that I too might have opened fire to save my life means you dont know why officers do their job. We are not out there to do that. We are out there to save other people's lives. The officer was put in this position, not by his doing, but by Readys. Monday morning quaterbacking if fine...But why not quaterback the person who was wrong. Not the person who was right. Why not ask "Would I drink more than I can handle before I get in to my car"? How about, "Would I drive away when someone civilian or not, is trying to stop me from endangering other people?. As to the last part. How could this sitution be avoided? Thats easy, Ready should not have dont what he had done. People should not drink and drive.
These deputys are well trained they KNOW what they are doing and if the deputy shot that guy them the deputys life was in danger people think that being a LEO is easy they need to think twice if i was in the deputys situation i would have shot him to. I do carry a gun on the job i do a type of policing so i know the problem here is that there are some croocked cops and some arnt but when they make a descison they get scrutinzed badly NOT FARE my heart gose out with every LEO that works and helps protect me and my family THANK LAW ENFORCMENT
I AM NOT ASHAMED TO LEAVE MY NAME
Kevin Bingham
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