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Shots Fired: Teen Steals Deputy’s Gun, Threatens To Shoot Him, Fights For Another Deputy’s Gun
April 20, 2010
An Escambia County teen is jailed after taking a deputy’s gun, threatening to shoot him and trying to take a weapon from another deputy. A deputy fired shots at the teen during the incident, but missed.
According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a suspicious vehicle in a ditch in the area of 80th Avenue and West Jackson Street early Tuesday morning. When Deputy Brandon Minor arrived on the scene, the vehicle was not occupied, so he proceeded to contact the owner of the vehicle who lived nearby.
The owner of the vehicle discovered that keys to another vehicle he owned — a blue Chevrolet truck — were missing, and he told the deputy that he believed his 14-year old stepson, Tracey E. Squaire, had taken both vehicles.
When Deputy Minor and the owner returned to the scene of the abandoned truck in the ditch, they found Squaire removing items from the vehicle and placing them in the second vehicle reported stolen.
“Deputy Minor exited his patrol car and ordered Squaire to place his hands behind his back and which time Squaire refused and tried to distance himself from Deputy Minor. Deputy Minor then attempted to handcuff Squaire, but Squaire was able to forcibly resist the officer’s attempts, causing the officer to pull his taser. Squaire then grabbed Deputy Minor’s taser and began to fight with the officer trying to gain control of the taser. At this time Deputy Minor drew his gun on the suspect and ordered him to get on the ground. Square once again refused the officers commands and lunged for Deputy Minor’s gun. During the struggle over the gun, Squaire pulled the weapon from Deputy Minor’s hands and pointed the gun at the officer threatening to shoot him if he moved or tried to call for help,” according to Melissa Aiken, spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office.
Squaire then fled the scene with the deputy’s weapon in the stolen Chevrolet truck. Additional deputies responded and began searching the area for Squaire. Deputy Kelly Hall located the truck in the area of 65th Avenue. When he pulled in behind the truck, the suspect accelerated and fled before wrecking with a traffic island on 65th Avenue.
“Deputy Hall then approached the suspect’s vehicle with his weapon drawn at which time the suspect raised the firearm stolen from Deputy Minor and pointed it at Deputy Hall ordering Hall to put his hands up. Deputy Hall took cover at the rear of the vehicle and fired one round into the suspect’s vehicle. Squaire then put both hands in the air in an attempt to give up. Deputy Hall ordered Squaire out of the vehicle and Squaire complied by exiting the vehicle and walking toward the deputy,” Aiken said.
“Deputy Hall then ordered the suspect to get on the ground at which time the suspect refused and lunged toward Deputy Hall grabbing his gun with both hands. The suspect fought with the deputy attempting to turn the gun’s muzzle toward the deputy. In fear for his life, Deputy Hall fired one round from his weapon in self defense, but missed the suspect. As the fight continued, Deputy Hall was eventually able to force the suspect to the ground at which time the suspect preceded to bite Deputy Hall on the wrist. Deputy Hall persevered and was able to free his weapon from Squaire’s grasp and handcuff the suspect,” Aiken continued.
Squaire was booked into the Escambia County Jail on a list of felony charges:
- Committing a first degree felony with stolen law enforcement firearm
- Aggravated assault with intent to commit a felony
- Aggravated battery with a deadly weapon
- Battery on law enforcement officer
- Grand theft of vehicle
- Obstruction of police
He is also facing misdemeanor charges of larceny and resisting a law enforcement officer.
Comments
34 Responses to “Shots Fired: Teen Steals Deputy’s Gun, Threatens To Shoot Him, Fights For Another Deputy’s Gun”
William, you may want to check, just read they have transferred him from juvi to adult court! Would be interesting to know the facts!
Thanks!
Amen to that David……..David for avoiding prison and the associates involved
and the actions to be expected.
REGARDING:
“The only remaining problem I see is one of ego – this punk will enjoy a high status among convicts for his “struggle” against Law Enforcement.”
Assuming prison time for this poor innocent child (three years younger than seventeen year old boys, who we have decided are innocent), his ego might take a blow if some of the other inmated decide he is pretty enough.
David for avoiding prison and the associates involved
and the actions to be expected
No human life is worthless including the out of control teen thug in question. That’s the liberal theory.
“Poor misunderstood youth,” (sarcasm).
No deputies injured – no civilian (criminals) killed; a good day’s work for LEOs regardless of how messy it turned out to be in getting there.
The only remaining problem I see is one of ego – this punk will enjoy a high status among convicts for his “struggle” against Law Enforcement.
Try him as an adult and send him to Railford and he’s just been sent to advanced criminal school. About 5 years of solitary confinement ought to teach him some civility.
Or not.
If you take into account the cost of a bullet and the wear and tear on the gun, you would lose money killing this dirtbag. I just wish the Deputy would have had a better aim. Now he will be out of jail soon and some other law men will have to deal with him.
I don’t have the answers to all the troubled youth, we have so many that ruin their lives. A parent can do the best they can raising children just to see them run all the bad roads.
Many times I have read HATE THE SIN NOT THE SINNER, on the webb site from various post. It’s really hard to hold that line ain’t it folks. It’s funny how one topic can vary with opinions from kind loving forgiving to kill him put him away no tolerence.
Looks like none of us are perfect, I already knew That I was far from it. That’s why I attend a church with less than perfect people and we know it.
I don’t believe the officer ‘gave up his gun.’ I believe the article said the kid wrestled it away from him.
There are rules/policies/procedures against giving up your gun; there are also rules against stealing cars and speeding. There are policies and procedures regarding firearms use, i.e., when, how, where, etc., too. I guess the violator forgot the rules, huh?
Yes, they teach weapon retention in the academy. However, if you want to simulate the event, put an egg in your ’strong hand’ and try to wrestle/subdue someone with your ‘weak hand’ who is trying to take that egg away from you. Don’t break the egg, don’t give it up, and don’t lose the struggle. That’ll give you an idea.
Believe me, these officers will be highly scrutinized for their actions. There will be lots of things running through their heads for a long time.
this poor innocent minor male
David with tongue in cheek
Tired of hearing everything blamed on the parents.
Ditto, amen, and thank you.
DJS
I agree. There is too much personal “judgement” in every comment section of every news source I have ever seen.
When I was a student nurse in Psychiatric affiliation, I worked on a locked ward for about 5 weeks. There was a little senior citizen there who couldn’t have weighed more than 80 pounds, soaking wet, who one minute I saw, standing there, with her arms fully extended and her hands folded, swaying from side to side, singing, “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” A few minutes later, I witnessed 5 grown men trying to put her in a straitjacket, for she had gone nuts, and had super human strength. I won’t even tell you what she did in her padded cell. You wouldn’t believe me anyway. That is when I realized that not all that is called mental illness is mental illness as we have always known it to be. Anyone besides me believe in demon possession.? Maybe we who think the officer was not what he should have been in this, need to go to the jail and meet this 14 year old teenager. You might see something you didn’t believe exists.
One only has to look back a few days ago about “the poor child who was killed by a city officer” to see part of the reason this young person isn’t dead right now. While the state has stopped grandstanding on his case —the civil case is just starting. The officer has to defend his actions again and over and over. I have no way of telling the size of this young person just from a head shot. I’ve seen 14 year olds who were big. No amount of training can fully prepare you for all that went on last night on this case. Yes all of them are lucky to be alive and not hurt worse than they are.
scobie
So well said, thanks.
I would like to see any of you do a better job.
THE POLICE WON, AND NO ONE WAS KILLED! PERIOD END OF
STORY.
THEY GOT THEIR MAN…..
They risked their life to get this guy, and for how much a year, ummm
isn’t it about 35,000.00 a year or am I wrong.
Personally I wouldn’t risk my life on a daily basis to save your lives for
any amount of money.
I have met a lot of bad cops here, but when their doing their jobs and
risking their lives, i really don’t like second guessing them.
Maybe this kid was hopped up on drugs, who knows.
I can’t belive they got this kid and nobody died and your all so crappy
about it. JUST WHAT DOES MAKE YOU PPL HAPPY!
I got $50.00 to bet that says this kid does drugs!!!!
14 ? I hope they gave him a drug screen. Seems like he might have been high on something, cocaine, speed, etc.
First let me say what a superior job telling this story you did! The PNJ website’s version might as well be written by monkeys compared to this!
This is a bad and troubled kid. He made a lifetime worth of mistakes in that one short time span, and he needs to be put away and punished for being such a jerk of a young man. Somebody could have gotten killed, and for what? Because the little thug has no respect for the law or adults. I don’t wanna hear about rehabilitation, I wanna see some incarceration!
I think Scobie Wilcoxon was spot on. If this thug had been an adult, he’d no longer be taking up good breathable air right now…. but since he’s a kid, the deputies probably hesitated to do the smart thing and shoot him… and it almost cost them their life a couple times.
Hopefully, the next time this thug tries to wrestle guns away from a couple of reluctant cops who value his life more than their own safety, he’ll do everyone a favor and accidently shoot himself…
I can’t believe one cop gave up his gun and another almost did. Sounds like maybe we do need the 10 million dollar training facilty after all. Don’t they have a rule not allowing the crooks take their guns? I think things are taking a dive at the Sheriff’s Office. Sounds like high turnover maybe taking its toll. Our coverage up here still stinks.
The world would be a better place without trash like this. He thinks he doesn’t have to follow the rules. Lock him up for good.
The officers are COMPLETELY justified in killing ANYONE who aims a firearm at them. PERIOD.
I would say the kid is lucky but if he goes to adult prison, like he should, he will be the new play toy for the inmates.
Don’t you think he is going to regret his choices then?
Joe and all others who are downing the parents,
Why do people always blame things on the parents? A parent can do everything right and still have their child turn out wrong or they can do everything wrong and have their child turn out fantastically. Just that a kid has screwed up, no matter how royally, doesn’t mean that his/her parents have done a crappy job. At what point do you expect these kids to be responsible for their OWN actions?
Hi Ho…Hi Ho…off to jail he goes
he will wear them stripes
they will listen to his gripes
Hi Ho…Hi Ho..
Aint the jails full yet..everyday its something…keep up the good work Escambia county
This thug is an example of the trash that is in the school system that some people wanted the teachers pay based on. Hopefully, he will stay in jail and out of the school system. Maybe they can cull a few more!
I hope the officers involved will be ok. For the one that was bitten, no telling what health concerns he has to worry about now!
Well, only 14 years old and already stole two vehicles, no fear of law enforcement, no respect for his own life or any one elses……now where do you think he is gonna be in 5 or 10 years? In and out of trouble, with stays in the jailhouse. So we taxpayers will pay for his problems for the rest of his life! If these deputies had shot this juvenile, the NAACP would be screaming across the tv and other media, that it was race related. Not to mention, having to live with shooting a child. If our justice system supported our law enforcement, then maybe some would be criminals would think twice before committing crimes. But why should they worry, when nothing is gonna happen to them? Of course, if parents would do their job at home, like our parents did, then many of these kids would try to do better for themselves.
As a former 14 year law enforcement officer, I’d like to say something here in these deputies defense.
First of all, when dealing with a minor, many officers are very reserved about using the same amount of force as they would use with an adult in the same situation. The fact this violator was a young person was precisely the reason he was able to get that close and get his hands on the gun; an adult in the same scenario probably would have not gotten the same opportunity…I betcha.
Second of all, many 14 year olds are in pretty good shape compared to a deputy who may be in his 20’s or 30’s, or older, and has to carry many pounds of gear in a uniform. If you don’t believe me, go play a game of basketball with your teenager; better yet, go wrestle with that teenager for a couple of minutes.
The second deputy may have been justified in using deadly force, but I’d bed that for a moment, he saw the headlines “Deputy Shoots 14-year old.” Nothing good comes from that.
This is not TV, this is real life. After a shooting, there are investigations, psychological visits, more investigations, grand jury hearings, more investigations, publicity, protests by civil rights groups, etc. Even if the officer is cleared and the shoot is ‘good’ the officer has to live with the thought of it, the threats by mad people (including friends and relatives), the reputation, the fear of another incident, will he hesitate the next time…etc.
Don’t beat them up too badly, they are in the middle of a bad situation in this one. There will be reviews on how that violator managed to best two officers and they’ll catch hell from their buddies and all of the armchair quarterbacks.
Chances are this kid will get out and get into some bad stuff and another officer may have to kill him; maybe not. He’s a thug and that has pretty much been demonstrated by this one incident; who knows how many times this kid has been in trouble before…or better yet, how many times the kid has been into trouble that has not been reported.
My point is, this situation ended well for everyone; may not be the same next time…for these officers or for this violator.
I agree that something is wrong with this child, but NOWHERE does it say that no one has been trying to get him help with those problems. Don’t go blaming the parents when you don’t know what they have done to get help.
As for him wrestling the gun from the officer, he may be very athletic and very strong. The situation was volatile from the beginning and you can bet that this has been a reality check for this deputy. However, there is no evidence that the deputy was not healthy OR that he is lacking in training. He seems to have been doing his job so how about everybody wait before heaping the abuse on everyone involved in this and stating “facts” that are definitely NOT in evidence.
■none on April 20th, 2010 5:45 pm
IF YOU THINK YOU CAN DO A BETTER JOB THEN GO FILL OUT AN APPLICATION!
IF THE DEPUTY WOULD HAVE SHOT & POSSIBLY KILLED THIS IDIOT YOU WOULD BE YELLING ABOUT THAT TOO.
BETTER YET WHEN ONE OF THOSE IDIOTS BREAK INTO YOUR HOUSE OR CAUSE YOU OR YOUR CHILD ANY HARM…..DON’T BOTHER CALLING 911!
JOB WELL DONE OFFICERS……NOW HOPEFULLY HE WILL BE TRIED AS AN ADULT AND THEN WE CAN SEE HOW BAD HE THINKS HE IS WHEN HE REACHES PRISON FOR MANY YEARS TO COME!
i believe he will have a while in the cooler
First Thank Goodness the deputies were not injured worse than they were. I think there should be a strong review of thier training. I would hate to know what could have been.
My thing is something is truely wrong with this child what are we doing to help the child and his parents. He has alot of unresolved problem no one tried to deal with and we are going on about it like it nothing what about his parent the shame an embarrassment this is causing this family. I am a mother & i no this would be killing me to hear this happen to me and my kid did it. Also what’s gonna happen with the officer something should be done about him allowing a child to take his gun we need healther police officers He should be embarrassed for this to be printed up that a teenager overpowered him.
“Makes me wonder if I need to be doing more to protect myself and my family and not put so much faith in police officers to do it” said Anna.
I would buy a gun and learn to use it for self defense. When seconds count the police are minutes away. Law enforcement officers have a thankless job but they cannot be everywhere at once.
Man, my mom and dad would have beat me half to death if I snuck out and tried some stunt like this. I cannot understand how this punk kid overpowered a deputy and took his gun!
I hope this kid gets time for this stunt and has to serve it day for day, no good time or anything!
Looks like we are all in agreeance on this one!
How was a 14 year old able to get a gun away from a police officer? He does not look exceptionally big by any means. We are entrusting these deputies with our lives and safety and they can’t keep their guns out of the hands of kids? This one really scares me. Makes me wonder if I need to be doing more to protect myself and my family and not put so much faith in police officers to do it.
14 or not, lock up this loser. he is a danger to himself and to others. that dumb kid is lucky to be alive (due to the officer missing his shots)
I hope this thug doesn’t get a big ego because he was able to get the firearm away from the officer. Lock this kid up for life.
Just fourteen years old!! Unbelievable!!