A Florida police department revealed this week that an officer who shot and paralyzed a man allegedly in the midst of a mental health crisis had mistaken his firearm for a stun gun.
That admission came after the man, Michael Ortiz, filed a public records lawsuit against the Hollywood Police Department on Monday in hopes of forcing cops to release a surveillance video that captured the shooting, which they have so far refused to disclose.
“While the investigation is still active and ongoing, an initial review suggests the officer intended to deploy his taser, but instead discharged his firearm,” a police statement provided to The Daily Beast. “The officer was immediately relieved of his duties as a sworn officer and is assigned to administrative tasks until the completion of the investigation.
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“The Department recognizes this is an unfortunate incident and is doing what it can to make sure this doesn’t happen again,” the statement continued. “We empathize with Ortiz and his family and know they have many questions about that evening. Our hope is that once the investigation is complete, we will be able to meet with them and provide any additional information they are seeking.”
Ortiz called 911 in July 2021 after consuming narcotics and experiencing chest pains, according to the police report. Hollywood police said Ortiz was “delusional” and acting erratic, which prompted a fire and rescue team to call for police assistance. Paramedics attempted to get Ortiz into his apartment building elevator, according to police, but he resisted. During a struggle, Ortiz was ultimately shot by a cop in the back.
But rather than acting out from drug use, Ortiz’s family and his attorney, famed civil rights lawyer Ben Crump, contend that Ortiz called 911 because he lost his dog and was experiencing a “mental health crisis,” Local 10 South Florida reported.
The shooting left Ortiz in a wheelchair, and without control of his bodily functions, 7 News Miami reported.
”You must release the video that shows us why you shot a naked man, face down and paralyzed him,” Crump said at a press conference this week.
Neither the Hollywood police nor Ortiz’s legal team immediately responded to The Daily Beast’s requests for comment.
