A look inside law enforcement training, following shooting by trooper in Ocala hospital ER
OCALA, Fla. - Multiple law enforcement agencies are investigating after a trooper with the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) shot and killed someone in the emergency room of HCA Hospital in Ocala.
What we know:
No officers, hospital staff, or patients besides the suspect were injured in the incident. Local police were called to the hospital for assistance, and an FHP trooper was involved in a physical altercation with the suspect that led to the use of deadly force. Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Ocala Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), are investigating the incident.
What we don't know:
Specific details about what led to the altercation and the shooting, including why the suspect was detained, whether they were armed, and what prompted the use of deadly force was not immediately released.
The backstory:
Ocala Police say one of their officers called for assistance at the hospital just before 3 a.m., so more officers went out. Then they say an FHP trooper "was involved in a physical altercation with a suspect in custody which resulted in FHP using deadly force."
FOX 35 asked why the suspect was initially detained, whether they were armed, what led to the fight, and what the suspect did to require deadly force.
The FHP said it’s providing no additional information and directed us to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).
All the FDLE told FOX 35 was its "investigation is limited to the trooper’s use of force. The case remains active and further information will not be provided."
Timeline:
The incident occurred in the early hours, just before 3 a.m., when officers were called to the hospital. The investigation is ongoing, and further details are expected as the FDLE looks into the use of force.
What they're saying:
Law enforcement officers, including those from the Ocala Police Department and the FBI, train at the Marion County Sheriff’s Office facility, which includes scenarios for situations like hostage situations and difficult decisions such as using force.
"It's unfortunately, just a split-second decision."
That’s what Lt. Paul Bloom of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office told FOX 35 Reporter Marie Edinger as he walked her through the Sheriff’s Office training facility.
"The job is not an easy one," said Lt. Bloom. "And so it requires a lot of training, and it's continual training. And just to hone our skills, to be aware of all of our surroundings and make sure we're protecting as best we can."
The facility has simulators for hostage situations; it has scenarios meant to warn against tunnel vision; it has real structures modeled out like mobile homes and jail cells – even a hospital bed.
"We want every deputy to have that ability to make a quick command decision – and many times life-and-death decisions – in a split second," said Lt. Bloom. "But we only accomplish that by repeated, repeated, repeated training."
The hospital bed scenario turns out to be very relevant today. The decision to fire a weapon inside an emergency department could be a tough one.
But that too is one for which Lt. Bloom says law enforcement officers must train.
"There's innocent civilians through there, people that can't defend themselves. And we have to provide protection for them and also for the inmate that we're in charge of their care in custody. So we want to have as realistic a training for them as well."
Lt. Bloom explained, law enforcement officers don’t pull out their guns thoughtlessly.
They can negotiate, they can use pepper spray or tasers – but sometimes, they can make the call that a firearm is the best choice.
"We are sworn to protect the public. So if the firearm coming out to defend themselves or somebody, a member of the public, is the best scenario, then that's what we expect them to do."
Big picture view:
The shooting highlights the high-pressure decisions law enforcement officers must make in dangerous and unpredictable situations, and it also brings attention to the importance of training for quick decisions, especially in situations involving potential violence in public or vulnerable spaces like hospitals.
Why you should care:
This case raises important questions about police use of force, the training officers receive, and the challenges of making life-or-death decisions in unpredictable situations, particularly in sensitive public spaces like hospitals. The outcome of the investigation may influence future protocols and practices for law enforcement.
What's next:
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) is investigating the matter and we anticipate a complete report at some future date.
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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Florida Highway Patrol, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Ocala Police Department.