Criminal law, Society

Florida Trooper Fires Nine Rounds in Retirement Center Area After His Car Is Innocently Bumped — But Is Given Only One Week Suspension

A Florida Highway Patrol trooper was given only a one-week suspension without pay after he fired nine rounds at a vehicle that bumped his cruiser. In the incident caught on this videotape, Trooper Timothy E. Nichols was responding to a call about a man suspected of stealing two bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches from a Palm Harbor gas station. However, an investigation showed that (as indicated on the video) the driver was innocently backing up his SUV when the bumping of the cruiser occurred — triggering Nichols’ shower of bullets.

Agency director John T. Czernis ruled that the force was obviously excessive, but only saw fit to suspend the officer.

When Nichols caught up with Magdi Kanaan, 22, in a parking area and Kanaan put his SUV in reverse, bumping Nichols’ cruiser. Nichols is heard screaming, “He just backed into my car.” He then fired nine rounds at the SUV in the retirement center area.

Highway Patrol internal affairs investigators determined Kanaan was simply trying to park. Czernis wrote ‘[y]our recollection of the events contradicts the evidence on the videotape from your patrol car.”

Nichols later admitted that events may not have occurred as he initially recollected.

Since Nichols started work with the department on Sept. 10, 2001, he has been orally reprimanded, counseled or cited at least eight times according to press reports — including two incidents of crashing into cars of citizens.

The question remains why there is not a more substantial punishment for an officer who (the internal affairs report) fires his weapon in a retirement center after a man innocently bumps his car.

Source: Tampa Bay

24 thoughts on “Florida Trooper Fires Nine Rounds in Retirement Center Area After His Car Is Innocently Bumped — But Is Given Only One Week Suspension”

  1. Me:

    are you a police officer? Or just full of BS?

    apparently this officer needs some remedial firearms training.

  2. me:

    Most of you idiots wouldn’t last an hour wearing a badge and gun.

    ********************

    Apparently, some idiots do.

  5. Jericho,

    I am not sure if the Post Office is still hiring…but you may wanna inquire there…..

  6. A one-week suspension…. we should all have such forgiving employers…. that we could shoot at them for trivial accidents and inconveniences.

  8. Don’t cop cars come equipped with horns? I think a couple of honks would have gotten the drivers’ attention. If I heard gun shots, I’d take off, too.

  10. I bet he was a former MP….or grossly untrained…A number of states require a BA/BS and major psychological reviews….for the State Troopers….Plus the academy….

  11. The law is completely failing the citizens of this country. This is crazy.

    As more and more states allow citizens to be ever more armed, i shudder to think when an out of control police man meets his opposite, an out of control armed citizen…

  13. I’m going to quote another poster, Sandy in Denver, from a different thread:

    “WWAGD? (What would Andy Griffith do?)”

    I like it so I stole it but I gave her credit.

  14. I posted about this incident on the 18th saying: “This guy shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near a gun and should be fired outright. Since when is the alleged theft of two sandwiches worth shooting anyone over?
    ….apparently the suspect the cop shot at didn’t steal anything in the first place and the cop who unloaded 9 rounds at him receives a slap on the wrist. Total BS. He should be sued silly and fired.”

    I’m glad to see people here mostly agreeing with my position.

  16. WOW, too bad I am not licensed in Florida….can you hear the sleigh bells ring….giddy up, giddy up……I think the odds of his actions are better than coming in last place in a game of Russian Roulette…..

  17. How can this officer be allowed to continue to serve at all? His judgement was so poor and could have lead to the death of the SUV driver. Any citizen acting in the same way would be subject immediate incarceration. It is insanity if this is the total outcome of this incident.

  18. So what does someone have to do to get fired from the Florida Highway Patrol? I’d love to know if there is a standard – 9 shots are ok, but if he fired 10 he’d be fired?

    A lot of cops do very good work, but not dealing with idiots like this hurts them all. It’s about time they realized that.

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