‘Reckless and Unreasonable’: Judge Denies Qualified Immunity to Florida Cops Who Fired 31 Shots at Men Suspected of Stealing Pizza and Pokemon Cards

Florida sheriff’s deputies were conducting a training exercise in the parking lot of a Target when they became aware of a group of young males shoplifting from the store, specifically a slice of pizza and several Pokémon card packs totaling less than $50.

Osceola County Sheriff supervisors decided to arrest the group as part of its training exercise to teach newly hired deputies to conduct a “takedown.”

But two deputies ended up firing 31 rounds into the car, killing the driver, 20-year-old Jayden Baez; and wounding two others, Joseph Lowe, 19, and Michael Gomez, 18. They then body slammed the fourth suspect, a 17-year-old male named Ian Joi who did not get shot.

Family members of the victims filed a lawsuit against the deputies, Scott Koffinas, and Ramy Yocoub, as well as Sheriff Marco Lopez, who is now facing unrelated criminal charges for his alleged involvement in a multimillion-dollar illegal gambling operation…

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