10 Disturbing Incidents That Got Cops FIRED
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’ll be looking at the most shocking cases of police misconduct and brutality that resulted in officers losing their badges.
2017 University of Utah Hospital Incident
In July 2017, Salt Lake City detective Jeff Payne visited the University of Utah Hospital after an accident involving William Gray, a part-time police officer. Payne requested a blood sample from Gray, who was unconscious and unable to consent. The on-duty nurse, Alex Wubbles, refused, citing hospital policy requiring either patient consent or a warrant, neither of which Payne had. Frustrated, Payne forcibly removed Wubbles from the building and arrested her, all of which was caught on police body cams. The footage subsequently went viral, leading to Payne’s dismissal in October, and the demotion of his commanding officer. Salt Lake City and the University of Utah later agreed to settle the incident with Wubbels for $500,000.
UC Davis Pepper Spray Incident
Tuition hikes at the University of California, Davis in 2011 led students to protest on campus. These demonstrations coincided with the larger Occupy movement and eventually became aligned with it. On November 18th, police officer John Pike used pepper spray at nearly point-blank range on dozens of peaceful protesters who refused to leave. The incident was recorded by several bystanders and once the footage hit the internet, it was all anyone could talk about. The university soon placed Pike on administrative leave and, following an external investigation, terminated his employment. Despite his dismissal, Pike received $38,000 in workers’ compensation, more than the $30,000 each pepper sprayed student received in their settlement with the school.
Shooting of Charles Kinsey
In July 2016, behavioral therapist Charles Kinsey was retrieving his patient, Arnaldo Rios Soto, a man with autism who had wandered away from his group home, when they encountered the police. Despite lying on the ground with his hands clearly raised and explaining the situation, Kinsey was shot in the leg by Jonathan Aledda, an officer of the North Miami Police Department. Aledda’s identity may never have been revealed if the incident wasn’t captured on cellphone video. The footage sparked a huge uproar, resulting in Aledda being charged with attempted manslaughter and negligence. Though he was ultimately fired from the police department after being convicted of culpable negligence, the conviction was later overturned on appeal.
Shooting of Erik Cantu
Erik Cantu was just trying to enjoy a hamburger in his car at a McDonald’s parking lot in San Antonio, Texas, when chaos came knocking. In October 2022, Officer James Brennand, who was responding to an unrelated disturbance, spotted Cantu’s car, which he recognized from a traffic stop that had gone south the day before. Instead of following protocol, Brennand skipped the introductions, yanked open the door, and fired his weapon when Cantu tried to drive away. The shooting left Cantu critically injured, as he was placed on life support and remained hospitalized for weeks. Brennand, on the other hand, was fired within a week and later charged with aggravated assault and attempted murder.
Traffic Stop Assault of Demetrius Hollins
In April 2017, Demetrius Hollins was pulled over by Police Sergeant Michael Bongiovanni in Atlanta, Georgia. What started as a routine traffic stop quickly escalated into a shocking display of brutality. Bongiovanni initially claimed that Hollins was belligerent and resisted arrest. However, cellphone footage later surfaced, showing the sergeant punching Hollins in the face, even though he appeared to be complying. To make matters worse, a second video showed another officer, Robert McDonald, kicking Hollins in the face while he was handcuffed on the ground. Both officers were fired less than 24 hours after the clips surfaced, and later charged with aggravated assault and battery. Bongiovanni pleaded no contest, but McDonald chose to fight the charges in court and was ultimately found guilty.
Killing of Eric Garner
The powerful rallying cry, “I can’t breathe,” were the last words of Eric Garner, who died on July 17th 2014, during an arrest in New York City. Police officers approached Garner on suspicion of selling untaxed cigarettes. During the arrest, NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo placed him in a chokehold and pushed his face into the sidewalk until he was handcuffed. Garner repeatedly stated that he couldn’t breathe, but his pleas were ignored. He suffered a heart attack on the way to the hospital and was later pronounced dead. Garner’s death ignited widespread protests across the city, especially after a grand jury decided not to indict Pantaleo. It wasn’t until August 2019, a full five years later, that Pantaleo was fired from the police force.
Killing of Tyre Nichols
The tragic death of Tyre Nichols began with a routine traffic stop. On January 7th 2023, just two minutes from his home in Memphis, Tennessee, Nichols was pulled over allegedly for reckless driving. The situation quickly escalated as officers assaulted Nichols, pushing him to the ground, tasing him and deploying pepper spray. He managed to escape and ran towards his mother’s house, but the officers caught up with him and beat him severely. He died three days later in the hospital. The day after the traffic stop, all five officers involved – Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr., Emmitt Martin III and Justin Smith – were fired. While two pleaded guilty to criminal charges, the remaining three went to trial and were convicted on various counts.
Killing of Stanley Gibson
In the early hours of December 12th 2011, police in Las Vegas responded to reports of a burglary at an apartment complex. Upon their arrival, officers spotted a car matching the suspect’s description, driven by Stanley Gibson, a Gulf War veteran coping with anxiety and depression. When officers ordered Gibson to exit the vehicle, he refused and attempted to drive away. During the encounter, Officer Jesus Arevalo reportedly mistook a non-lethal shot fired by his colleague for gunfire from Gibson and responded by firing seven shots into the car, killing the unarmed veteran. Following a thorough investigation, two separate review panels recommended Arevalo's dismissal. In October 2013, nearly two years later, Arevalo was let go from the force.
Killing of Sean Bell
On November 25th 2006, 23-year-old Sean Bell was set to marry his fiancée, Nicole Paultre, but he never made it to the ceremony. Early that day, Bell was leaving his bachelor party with friends when Gescard Isnora, a plainclothes NYPD officer, reportedly overheard their conversation and suspected they were planning a drive-by shooting. Isnora called for backup, and the officers quickly surrounded Bell’s car and opened fire. They shot a total of 50 bullets at the vehicle, killing Bell and severely injuring two of his friends. Following the incident, Isnora, who initiated the shooting, was fired, while three other officers involved – Detectives Marc Cooper and Michael Oliver, and Lieutenant Gary Napoli – were forced to resign.
Murder of George Floyd
In May 2020, while the world grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic, the killing of George Floyd ignited a global conversation about race and policing. Floyd was arrested after a store clerk reported that he had used a counterfeit $20 bill. During the arrest, officers pulled Floyd out of the police car and one of them, Derek Chauvin, knelt on his neck for over nine minutes, ignoring repeated pleas that he couldn’t breathe. Floyd was already unresponsive by the time an ambulance arrived, and was later pronounced dead at the hospital. The following day, Chauvin, and the three other officers involved – J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao – were fired. They were ultimately convicted of various criminal charges and sentenced to prison.
Which of these incidents troubled you the most? Let us know in the comments below.
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