9 Investigates

Potential dangers of shooting through windshield: 9 Investigates

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — 9 Investigates the potential dangers of shooting through a windshield after a Volusia County deputy was forced to do so along U.S. Highway 17 in DeLeon Springs this week.

The body-worn camera video is dramatic, and shows the moment that deputy made the split-second decision to keep one hand on the wheel and use the other to pull out his gun.

A law enforcement expert we spoke to says action like that is only ever to be used as a last resort, and it can have unintended consequences.

Investigators say the video shows attempted murder suspect Dillon Parker pointing his weapon right at a Volusia County deputy.

“When you see an officer like that, firing through his windshield, you realize right away that he must be in a desperate situation, and someone's life is in imminent danger,” former police chief and law enforcement expert Chuck Drago said.

Drago told us that he has fired through a windshield before, as part of a tactical training.  He says the type of glass used on a windshield makes it extremely difficult to hit a target.

“The problem is, there’s an angle.  It angles back, there’s a curvature at the windshield.  So when you fire a bullet through a windshield, it tends to do things you don’t want it to do,” Drago said.

Drago says the bullet can follow the curve of the windshield, and the thickness of the glass can cause the bullet to lose velocity.  The glass can also cause a bullet to split into multiple pieces.

“Typically, the bullet will go higher.  It will go wide.  It will split into pieces,” Drago said.  “You're never sure of anything when you're shooting through a windshield, and that's the danger.”

In this case, it's still unclear whether it was the deputy or the police officer who actually shot Parker, but Drago says the deputy on video did what he had to do.

“The only way to defend himself, and that other officer, was to shoot through that windshield.  There's just no time to do anything else in this situation,” Drago said.

Drago says only some law enforcement officers will ever be trained in this type of shooting.  It’s unclear whether Volusia County trains its deputies in this way.

Karla Ray

Karla Ray, WFTV.com

Karla Ray anchors Eyewitness News This Morning on Saturday and Sundays, and is an investigative reporter for the 9 Investigates unit.