Bay News 9 – by Ferdinand Zogbaum
DADE CITY — Bullets were fired at two Pasco County sheriff’s deputies who were on routine patrol in Dade City early Sunday, adding to the already nerve-racking time right now for law enforcement in the Bay area and beyond.
Around 3:30 a.m., the deputies were sitting inside their patrol cars in the parking lot of Northside Baptist church, 37047 Lock Street, monitoring the intersection of 21st and Lock streets. Three bullets were fired at them, authorities said.
No one was hit or injured but the incident has Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco beyond upset.
“Our deputies deserve to be safe and our family members deserve to have their loved ones come home at the end of the shift,” he said.
Both deputies reported hearing the whizzing sound of each bullet that flew by. They said they didn’t see the suspect or the vehicle from which the shots were fired.
Area residents also heard the three gunshots and reported seeing a small, dark-colored vehicle with tinted windows in the area at the time of the shooting, deputies said.
There is something else that has deputies on high alert. They’re looking for the person who spray painted a message on a road barrier in Wesley Chapel. It’s hard to read, but it says “shoot mp cop.”
Nocco has some strong words for whoever is responsible for the message and shooting.
“We’re going to come out in force and we are not going to apologize,” he said. “We are not going to be politically correct. We are going to do what is right.”
These two incidents come at a time when law enforcement here in the Bay area and beyond are already on edge after the police killings in Tarpon Springs and New York.
“There are a lot of people threatening law enforcement for unjust reasons,” Nocco said.
Nocco said his deputies are doing some things differently in light of the threats, but he won’t go into detail. He also said violence against law enforcement is nothing new.
“There are people that commit wicked acts that are evil,” he said. “There is no other way to say it. There are just evil people in our society, but it’s a select few.”
Nocco said they need the community’s support more than ever right now.
Anyone with information about the shooting or graffiti is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 727-847-8102 or 1-800-706-2488. Tips can also be provided online and anonymously at https://www.tipsubmit.com/WebTips.aspx?AgencyID=615
What’s starting to happen is a response to the “shoot first, ask questions later” chickenshit tactics the police use today. “Oh, I was scared and I pissed my pants, I had to shoot, I felt threatened.”
On CNN right now, they are reporting that two officers were fired upon in L.A this A.M. People have had enough it appears.
Sounds like fun, but id much rather put my first one in tax revenuer. filthy pieces of garbage.
“Both deputies reported hearing the whizzing sound of each bullet that flew by. They said they didn’t see the suspect or the vehicle from which the shots were fired.”
How do they know it was fired from a vehicle? Also if they heard 3 bullets wiz by why not the report of the firearm?
This hole “deserves” BS can lick a taint. Cops deserve to be paid for showing up to work. The rest is just luck and statistics.
Cry baby nocco says “There are a lot of people threatening law enforcement for unjust reasons,” UNJUST? you better go back and get your facts correct or im’a snatch that life from around your neck. dipshit.
“Lick a taint” Ain’t heard taint in years. Oh the good ole days! 😆
What is it now four or five in the last couple months? It sounds as this could be the beginning of what is to come. This will only make the cops more trigger happy and the phrase “I was in fear of my life” will be heard on a daily basis. Be careful out there in the coming months, they may start using SWAT teams for a simple traffic stop.
I submit that if the cops took a different approach, like, to serve and protect, instead of, to shoot on sight, they might be better received.