ABC13A white security guard is facing an ‘aggravated menacing charge’ for pulling a gun on a black sheriff’s deputy because he was armed.
Alan Gaston, a Lucas County, Ohio, sheriff’s deputy was on duty and in full uniform with his police badge and gun when he was called by an IRS office to discuss a letter he had received.
As he entered the office, however, security guard, Seth Eklund, told him he could only come in if he went and put his gun in his car.
Gaston explained that he couldn’t do that because he was on duty and left the office. As he left however CCTV footage shows Eklund draw his own gun and point it at Gaston’s back.
Eklund then follows Gaston to the lift, his weapon still drawn and attempts to arrest the sheriff’s deputy.
At the same time, someone in the office called 911 and told the operator that there was a man with a gun in the building, but failed to mention that it was a uniformed police officer.
ABC13Two Toledo police officers attended the scene and were caught on CCTV as they arrived to find Eklund, who tells the officers: ‘He’s got a gun and he won’t leave’, and Gaston stood by the lift.
Gaston told ABC13 that he believed the best way he could handle the situation was to walk away from it before things escalated but added he believed he was going to be shot.
He said:
I was basically preparing myself to be shot at that moment. Bracing for a shot in my back. There’s really no way to know how you’re going to act when you think you’re going to lose your life.
ABC13Gaston, who works as a defensive tactics instructor, says his biggest concern was that other people in the office would be hurt, saying lethal force in a situation like this is unacceptable.
The sheriff’s deputy has been on medical leave from the sheriff’s office since the incident and has filed a lawsuit against Eklund and the security company who employed him for compensation. He says he has suffered emotional and psychological distress following his encounter with Eklund.
Eklund is expected to face court this week for ‘aggravated menacing’ a first-degree misdemeanour that is punishable by up to $1,000 in fines, 180 days in jail, or both.
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More of a concept than a journalist, Tom Percival was forged in the bowels of Salford University from which he emerged grasping a Masters in journalism.
Since then his rise has been described by himself as ‘meteoric’ rising to the esteemed rank of Social Editor at UNILAD as well as working at the BBC, Manchester Evening News, and ITV.
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