A police officer checked the man's well-being after a call from his worried neighbor.
In the US state of Florida, a police officer shot and killed an 88-year-old pensioner at his home in Tampa
ABC News reports this with reference to Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister.
It is noted that the incident took place on Tuesday, December 7, when the police received a message from a woman who said that she had not seen her neighbor for at least two days and noticed that the door of his garage was open.
Police officer Anastasia Castillo went to the man's house, who turned out to be a retired Tampa police officer Ronald Erich, to check if everything was fine with him.
Castillo entered the house on her own and knocking on doors and walls and saying: “Sheriff's office” , went upstairs. The moment the woman reached the bedroom, Erich, who was still silent, finally answered through the closed door.
In the video from the chest camera, the policeman is heard repeatedly introducing herself and explaining that she has entered the house to check if Erich needs help. Soon the woman realizes that the pensioner is armed and calls for reinforcements.
“Go out into an open place and sit down, otherwise I will throw you out of …” put the gun down: “It's okay. Your neighbor was worried about you.”
However, the situation escalates as Erich approaches without lowering his weapon. Then Castillo opens fire, and then reports through the radio that “shots were made and the object fell.”
The Chronister noticed that the pensioner was armed, but did not shoot. According to him, the police officer would wait for reinforcements before entering the house if she knew that the man had a weapon. However, she entered, believing that he might need medical attention.
“In her thoughts, she believed that she was faced with a medical situation. (…) she was going to save a life,” the sheriff said. Tampa police have launched an investigation.
Erich's neighbor Angel Ortiz said the man was a retired law enforcement officer, wore hearing aids and often relied on lip reading when he spoke. In her opinion, if the pensioner heard that Castillo was from the police, he would “immediately submit.”
It is known that the ex-policeman did not have a criminal past. There is also no information available on whether he had any mental health problems.
