Posted on 01/02/2007 11:40:36 PM PST by weegee
Off-duty officer faces charge after gunfire
He is suspended after deputies say at least 2 shots fired during party hit a nearby home
An off-duty Houston police officer was arrested early Monday after allegedly firing a gun during a New Year's party, striking a nearby home, authorities said.
Ricardo Piñeda, 27, was charged with deadly conduct after the shooting that happened shortly before 12:30 a.m. in the 8800 block of Rustling Leaves, Harris County sheriff's deputies said.
The owner of the home struck by the bullets was in the laundry room when someone attending a New Year's party across the street began firing. At least two of the bullets pierced his garage door, authorities said.
"One of (the rounds) lodged in the wall very close to where he was standing," said Harris County sheriff's Lt. John Martin.
Piñeda was in civilian clothes but wore an HPD jacket and had his badge hanging around his neck when the deputy questioned him about the shooting, Martin said.
"The officer was nonresponsive. He said he didn't know anything about it," Martin said. "At one point, he told our deputy, 'This is not a big deal.' "
The owner of the home where the party took place and at least one other person identified Piñeda, a three-year HPD veteran, as the person who was firing the weapons.
Deputies later found a .40-caliber pistol and an AR-15 rifle in his car.
"Both weapons appeared to have been fired recently. They were both empty," Martin said. "It appears he was the only one firing a weapon."
Deputies also found several shell casings at the scene.
Piñeda was taken into custody and released later that day after posting a $30,000 bond.
An HPD spokesman said Piñeda is assigned to the department's southeast patrol division.
He has been relieved of duty with pay pending the outcome of the investigation.
Officials with the Houston Police Officers Union said Piñeda will not be represented by an attorney from the association because the incident did not occur while he was on duty.
A few years ago, some idiot went out and shot his gun off into the air on New Year's Eve and one of the bullets killed his 7-year-old daughter.
I really hate this PC attitude that allows us to import these dangerous third-world customs. If the thrid-worlders are going to come to our country they need to:
Do it legally.
Abide by our laws and leave all that third-world crap back where they came from.
bkmark
It happens two doors down from us...
We've called the law on them about the fireworks in the city limits last July...
It appears to have not taken hold yet...But the gunfire (same place) that close to Casa Steve is a bit over the top this time...
Got the wheels in motion for this incident started yesterday...
enough is enough...
It happens two doors down from us...
We've called the law on them about the fireworks in the city limits last July...
It appears to have not taken hold yet...But the gunfire (same place) that close to Casa Steve is a bit over the top this time...
Got the wheels in motion for this incident started yesterday...
enough is enough...
There goes another diversity recruit.
Wasn;t there a guy that actually managed to shoot himself a couple of years back using this technique?
His duty weapons?
At least not stupidly. I've done it on the 4th of July, from my front yard.... HOWEVER, it was a shotgun and there were no houses, dwellings or buildings for around a mile in the direction I was firing. I lived right on the edge of a small town, with nothing but farmland in the direction I was shooting.
I wished I had a blank firing adapter for my SKS, and a pot full of blanks, because I'd have thought about doing it when old Saddam dropped through the floor.
But no way would I fire a 7.62 round into the air in some random direction, in a built up area.
It won't last long. And he'll likely lose his vacation time when then can him.
From what I've read over the years, it's pretty common in the non Latino "hood" as well. Detroit and LA for example, but also Dallas and undoubtedly New Orleans too.
Wanna bet he was drunk?
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