SPPD: Review to follow rare occurrence of officer firing at suspect
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula Police Department
Published: July 09, 2008
An alcohol fueled 4th of July brawl that left three people injured and caused a Santa Paula Police officer to fire at a suspect was a rare occurrence, according to Santa Paula Police Department officials.
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula Times
An alcohol fueled 4th of July brawl that left three people injured and caused a Santa Paula Police officer to fire at a suspect was a rare occurrence, according to Santa Paula Police Department officials. “It was the first time in about 22 years that we actually shot at somebody,” said Lieutenant Carlos Juarez of the incident that occurred Friday, July 4 at about 10 p.m.
Senior Officer Ryan Smith responded to a report of a large fight in the 100 block of North 11th Street where a brawl was in progress, with one of the suspects throwing cinder blocks at the victims, including three who were later hospitalized. When the suspect, identified as Jacinto Flores Coles, 39, of Santa Paula, started throwing cinder blocks at the officer and refused to comply with Smith’s orders to stop, the officer fired his service firearm.
Coles, who was not struck by a bullet, fled into a nearby residence and eventually was arrested after being Tasered. Police Chief Steve MacKinnon said that Smith “fired at the person because he felt the actions of the suspect were a threat to his safety. It’s very unusual” for an officer to discharge a firearm. “Contrary to what people see on television and movies, where officers are firing their gun every hour, it’s very unusual for any officer in their career to fire their gun, very unusual.”
The cause of the brawl apparently centered on noise and alcohol. “The location where the officers arrived had been a loud party, and other people were showing up complaining about the volume.” MacKinnon noted, “alcohol was involved on both sides, so it easily escalated.”
Three people received injuries, and “We were concerned... it was difficult to get them to accept medical treatment, although there were some significant head injuries. There was a strong effort on our part that they receive medical attention... alcohol was involved so there was a concern” that the victims did not realize how serious their injuries might be.
“Some had some pretty significant lacerations,” and with heavy cinder blocks used as weapons - “One of the suspects did have a 2 by 4... officers didn’t see him make contact but it was obviously wielded as a weapon” - the possibility of concussion, which can take time for symptoms to surface, was also a concern. Ultimately the victims agreed to be transported to area hospitals for treatment.
MacKinnon said that the incident was discussed Monday by SPPD personnel: “We were talking about it this morning,” trying to ascertain the last officer involved shooting. The last such incident, which involved an officer firing a warning shot, “was more than a dozen years ago, so at the least it is very unusual.”
MacKinnon said the SPPD Range Master and two supervisors would review the circumstances of Friday’s gunfire incident per department policy. Secondly, “It’s not unusual for a number of shots to be fired and not hit the suspect due to the stress going on and the activity,” and MacKinnon noted, “In this particular case Ryan moving to avoid being struck at the same time doesn’t give you a real good site picture.”
Coles was charged with assault with a deadly weapon and resisting an executive officer. He was transported to Ventura County Jail, where his bail was set at $50,000.
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