In a startling turn of events, a Florida sheriff's deputy mistakenly discharged his weapon after confusing the sound of an acorn hitting his patrol vehicle for a gunshot. The incident took place on November 12th in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, as the deputy questioned a handcuffed Black man in the backseat of his SUV. Fortunately, the individual was unharmed during the shooting and was subsequently released without being charged.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff's office recently released the body camera footage and an internal affairs report, shedding light on the incident. According to the report, investigators reviewing the body camera footage observed an acorn falling just before the shots were fired. The acorn had struck the roof of the patrol vehicle, leading the deputy to erroneously perceive it as a gunshot.

Earlier that day, Deputy Jesse Hernandez, along with a sergeant and another deputy, responded to a call from a woman whose boyfriend had allegedly stolen her car and was sending her threatening messages. The woman informed the deputies that the man might be armed. Following his detention, the boyfriend was handcuffed and placed in the backseat of Hernandez's patrol car.

As Deputy Hernandez approached the passenger side of his vehicle, he heard what he believed to be a gunshot. Fearing for his safety, he immediately shouted "shots fired" multiple times, falling to the ground and rolling. In the midst of the chaos, he discharged multiple rounds into the patrol car. Sgt. Beth Roberts, hearing the gunfire and Hernandez's distress, also began firing into the car.

While the county's state attorney's office found no probable cause for criminal charges, an internal affairs investigation conducted by the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office concluded that Deputy Hernandez's use of force was "not objectively reasonable." Consequently, Hernandez resigned from his position on December 4th. However, Sgt. Beth Roberts was exonerated, as her use of deadly force was deemed reasonable.

Sheriff Eric Aden acknowledged the traumatic nature of the incident for the suspect and emphasized that measures have been taken to incorporate the events into training for other deputies. Aden further stated that he did not believe Hernandez acted out of malice. According to Aden, although Hernandez's actions were ultimately unwarranted, they were driven by a perceived immediate threat to his life.

Reviews conducted by the sheriff's criminal investigations division and the county's state attorney's office found no probable cause for criminal charges against Deputy Hernandez, who had joined the agency in January 2022. This incident serves as a reminder of the complex and delicate nature of law enforcement, necessitating continuous training to minimize the potential for similar misunderstandings in the future.