With all the bizarre brazen behavior we see burgeoning across the United States lately, daily new chapters unfold to add to the mix of stupidity. Many of these episodes exposing utter idiocy somehow seem to get turned around whereby citizens rebuke law enforcement officers trying to do the job we pay them to do—the one most folks refuse to do because of the potential for death.

Speaking of imminent death among cops fighting the good fight on the mean streets of Anywhere, USA, 9-1-1 lines answered by operators at the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) in Tampa, Florida were abuzz when a man was out in public, walking by the roadside, waving a Wyatt Earp-style pistol in one hand while wielding a beer in the other. This was in a residential community where children were present as well.

HCSO deputies responded to the “man with a gun” call and located the roadway rebel.

Per the sheriff’s office press release, Eric Ricardo Felder, 66, “was arrested on Saturday after several people reported seeing him pointing a gun at vehicles while walking on Railroad Street near State Road 674 in Wimauma.

“Within minutes, deputies located Felder carelessly waving the firearm around in one hand with an alcoholic beverage in the other.

“Felder was arrested without incident and is facing multiple charges including:

  •  felon in possession of a firearm
  •  2counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon
  •  use of a firearm while intoxicated
  •  improper exhibition of a dangerous weapon
  •  resisting arrest without violence.
Eric Ricardo Felder, 66. (Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office booking photo)

The freedoms that we harbor so dearly in our nation can often go down the wrong road, especially when alcohol is mixed with handheld firepower doused with poor judgment (and perhaps faulty aim thanks to beer buzz), threatening innocents trying to enjoy their freedoms in a COVID-buttoned society. I am familiar with this area; it is loaded with children of migrant workers who toil in agricultural lands under intense heat.

No need to dissect what could have ultimately transpired in this incident, and the tragedy avoided…thanks to law enforcement officers using communication skills, training, restraint, and deliberation. Frankly, all that would have been undermined had Mr. Felder raised his pistol ever-so-slightly.

One social media commenter replied to the sheriff’s office post regarding this “arrest without incident,” saying, “Wtf is wrong with all these people??? It’s like something inside all these fruitloops is woke?? Good job getting this crazy off the streets without incident!!” Yeah, agreed.

Wonder what a social worker would have done in this exact instance. What’s your scope on the matter?

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This piece was written by Stephen Owsinski on August 2, 2020. It originally appeared in DrewBerquist.com and is used by permission.

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