Did Broward Deputies shoot at Palm Bch Deputies ?

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Broward deputy, Palm Beach County man face charges after gunfire incide
Three Broward deputies being investigated
Emily Miller, Sun Sentinel
8:31 pm, January 29, 2015
A Broward Sheriff's Office deputy who was being investigated for off-duty gunfire turned himself in to the Palm Beach Sheriff's Office on Wednesday, according to a Broward Sheriff's spokeswoman.

Deputy Norman Stepelton was booked into jail shortly before 11 p.m. Wednesday and released Thursday afternoon, records show. Stepelton faces one count of discharging a firearm from a vehicle.

About 24 hours before Stepelton turned himself in, a co-defendant in the case, Jeffrey Franklin Behan, was booked into jail — also on one count of discharging a firearm from a vehicle, records show. Behan was released from jail Wednesday.

The Palm Beach Sheriff's Office began investigating Stepelton, 26, and another Broward Sheriff's deputy, Christopher Mattingly, 24, following a hail of gunfire at 3:37 a.m. Jan. 5 at Haverhill Road North and Okeechobee Boulevard.

Four Palm Beach Sheriff's deputies were standing outside their marked cruisers in the Walgreens parking lot at 5028 Okeechobee Blvd. when they heard several gunshots coming from the east, according to a probable case affidavit filed in the case. Seconds later, they heard more gunshots — this time closer. Then deputies saw a car speeding west on Okeechobee Boulevard and heard about eight more gunshots.

Fearing they were being shot at, the deputies took cover behind their cruisers, the affidavit said. Two deputies reported hearing projectiles pass their heads, but no one was struck by the gunfire.

Deputies pursued the tan Toyota Prius on Okeechobee Boulevard until Benoist Farms Road, where they pulled the car over, the affidavit said. Mattingly had been driving the car, while Behan sat in the front passenger seat and Stepelton sat in the back.

"When deputies were securing Mattingly he uttered the gun and shooter were in the back," the affidavit said.

Mattingly and Behan told deputies they were driving home from Roxy's Roof Top Bar when Stepelton fired a gun several times out of the rear-passenger window, the affidavit said. Behan told deputies he took the gun and fired into the air twice.

Deputies searched the car and found a .40-caliber Glock belonging to Stepelton and one empty magazine in the back seat, the affidavit said. The ammunition matched casings found at the scene of the gunfire.

Stepelton, who joined BSO in November 2013, was initially suspended with pay but that status will be changed to suspended without pay, Broward Sheriff's spokeswoman Veda Coleman-Wright said. Stepelton could not be reached for comment.

"I am very disappointed," Sheriff Scott Israel said Thursday. "Stepelton used poor judgment as a citizen and a deputy. I expect all BSO employees to conduct themselves in a lawful manner, on and off duty."

Behan, 23, of Wellington, is not an employee of the Broward Sheriff's Office, Coleman-Wright said.

When reached by phone Thursday, Behan declined comment before referring all questions to his lawyer, who could not be reached.

Mattingly, who was hired by BSO in November 2012, has not been charged in the case. He was put on restricted assignment following the incident. He and Stepelton worked out of the Deerfield Beach district and had to turn in their patrol cars.

emiller@tribune.com, 954-356-4544 or Twitter @EmilyBethMiller

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Nice going dipshit!

[Unregistered]

Boy. I came on BSO in 1980, and we had our share of dummies, but nothing like these knuckle-heads.

[Unregistered]

It really makes you wonder. Do these idiots wake up everyday and say to themselves, "How can I get arrested today?" or "How can I get fired today?"

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Remember, it was Lee Martin doing background checks on these guys when they got hire. Now you know why they are falling through the cracks and getting hired.

[Unregistered]

And also remember who Lee Martin represents....the corrupt PBA. VOTE IUPA in the PERC election

[Unregistered]

Is the aforementioned Behan related to our Patrick Behan? EOW 11-13-90

[Unregistered]

I personally worked with both these guys in District 10, and its a shame cause Norm was pretty 10-8 not sure what happened and why he would do something so stupid and dangerous. Now as for other retard... Well lets just say he was so arrogant and stupid I would cringe everytime I was on a call with that stupid ****. Hope he gets what he deserves and loses his career as a Dep. One does not deserve to wear that badge after doing something so ridicolous and dangerous to the general public and other deputies!!!

[Unregistered]

Norm was 10-8? He's the idiot that was firing the gun out the window.

[Unregistered]

Truth be told, both of them were S33ing out the window. They are both incredibly stupid for the choice they made. Now ONE of them is taking the fall.