So, what is this? He's saying he's the police. Is he the police? >> You have gun on you? >> Yes. >> Why? >> Why? >> Yeah. >> Because it's crazy around here. >> You can't just drive around town and start detaining people and and doing your own investigation. >> An employee at a Lake Buenav Vista apartment complex called police after Steven Donovan approached him on a bicycle, claimed he was working with law enforcement and Homeland Security, then opened his jacket to reveal a gun. When deputies arrive, Donovan doesn't back down. He doubles down with a claim so absurd, even they struggle to make sense of it. >> Cool. I'm not here to one second. >> What had happened was >> Okay, >> one second. First of all, >> you you have a gun on you? >> Yes. >> Why? >> Why? >> Yeah. >> Because it's crazy around here. It's a It's a open carry Florida. >> Well, it's not it's not open carry. It's It's You're allowed to have concealed. Yes. But it's not open carry. Okay. Florida's open carry. >> Okay, >> for clarity, Florida's concealed carry law, also known as permitless carry, allows eligible adults 21 or older, to carry a concealed firearm without a permit. Open carry, meaning the firearm is openly visible to the public in a holster on the hip, chest, or shoulder, however, was not generally permitted at the time of this encounter. But how Steven carried the gun, was not the issue. The concern was what he intended to do while armed. >> All right. Basically, I've been there was a Mexican there was a bunch of sirens. It's a Mexican ran into a place and I locked the door and that's it. Okay. I just want to make sure there's not an illegal Mexican in there. >> A what? >> An illegal Mexican broke into one of the places. That's all I'm trying to say. >> That's all I'm trying to say. How's it going? >> So So explain to me this um security of of the nation thing. I'm talking officer of of what? Let me see your creds. >> I just showed it to you. Listen, there's been a bunch of Mexicans breaking into these places, okay? I've had enough of it. I had a bunch of Mexicans. I even had to call him one time. This >> guy here. >> Yes. >> Donovan sounded genuinely disgusted by how he believed a fellow officer was treating him. But that belief was all he had. No badge from a recognized agency, no commission card, nothing that gave him the authority to do what he had recently done. >> He He Plantation Park. Okay. I'm a cool dude. I'm trying to stop Mexicans from breaking into these places and committing crimes. That's all I'm trying to do. That's all I'm trying to do. Okay. And all I'm trying to say is is that there's a Mexican that's been breaking into that place >> into a certain apartment. >> Yes. >> While that conversation was happening, a second officer had already received a very different account from a witness at the complex. >> Walked up to the guy and said that he's a police officer and showed him a gun underneath his jacket. Said he wanted to go into the apartment to get the illegals out. So the which apartment? >> It's supposed to be an empty apartment that they're saying there might be squatty, >> but it's supposed to be empty. >> The problem for Steven was no longer just what he believed he was authorized to do. While he was still trying to justify his authority, a witness described something far more serious. A man claiming to be a police officer while displaying a concealed weapon. >> The door was unlocked. >> Hold on, hold on, hold on. How how do you have h how do you have knowledge of this apartment was was being being broken into >> because >> because you were saying this is a very highly populated Hispanic community. >> Okay. >> Okay. Okay. >> So I mean a a lot of Hispanic people live in these apartments. >> Okay. Well, there was no lock on the door and there was a mattress sitting there wrapped up ready for him to go. And then when I locked the door, a a Mexican showed up and then he was telling me he's going to kill me to break back in. And then I just locked the door and left. And all I was going to do is just see if he was there. I was going to come to the office and make sure that these people weren't uh letting Mexicans stay there. That's all I'm trying to do. >> Well, well, for it's not illegal to to be Mexican. You're aware of this, right? >> I know that. >> Okay. Okay. Let make sure that that you and I are on the same page. >> Okay. >> Okay. So, you're saying that you >> All I'm trying to say is a Mexican broke into apartment and just make sure he's not in there. That's all I got. That's all I'm saying. Okay. That's all I'm trying to say. >> Back with the first officer, Steven was still treating suspicion as authority. Every assumption became justification and every decision he made only seemed to reinforce his belief that he had done nothing wrong. >> Why didn't you call 911? >> Because Because it's just you call 911, the police don't even show up, man. All I'm trying to say is, man, I you know, I've had Mexicans threaten to cut off my penis. Okay? There's been multiple crazy stuff going on. >> How do you know that he's Mexican? >> Cuz I seen him. >> You can check. >> He came to the door and was trying to break in after I locked the door behind him. What what they do is they don't have keys. Okay. And what they do is they they come in, but when they leave to go commit a crime, they can't they can't lock the door. So, what I all I did was I went and locked the door and closed the door. That's all That's all I did. >> Okay. Uh >> if he actually lived there, he can just go to the office and get a key, right? Well, >> you said you said the door was open. >> The door was wide open. Yeah. >> Well, then why would he need a key if his door is wide open? >> The Well, the thing is that you can lock it from when you get inside, but when you leave, you can't get back in. >> But you said the door was open, though. The door was wide open because because whenever he >> because whenever they leave, they can't get back in because they don't have a key because they broke in. >> Steven thought his plan was foolproof. Lock the suspected squatters out. And if they legitimately belonged there, the front office could simply let them back in. But that logic skipped one critical step, confirming who they were or whether they had any right to the apartment before taking matters into his own hands. When someone is this convinced that suspicion gives them authority, the encounter can unravel fast. If you want to see more cases where officers have to separate confidence from actual legal power, subscribe to Case Point. We'll be right back. >> I seen the Mexican showing up. And I was like, "Okay, I can tell he looked like a criminal, man." Okay. >> Well, what do you tell the guy looked like like a criminal? >> What what had happened was I I closed the door. That's all I did. And what I wanted to do is I was coming back to check to make sure that that there wasn't a bunch of Mexicans in here. I was going to come down here and say, "Hey, listen. Do you guys have a bunch of Mexicans living in there?" That's all I'm trying to say. I'm not I'm not here to to harm anyone. >> Okay, listen. Okay, rewind. Rewind for me. Okay, that's it. >> Hold on. Hold on. >> Yeah. >> You're riding your bicycle. You see an open door. >> Yeah. >> With a mattress with plastic on it. >> Y >> Okay. So, then you went in and you just >> No. No. I just I I just pushed the mattress in and I and I closed the door. >> So, you pushed the mattress inside the apartment >> and you closed the door. >> Yep. That's it. >> And then you came here to the decent office. No, it was at night. >> To Steven, each step still sounded reasonable. To the officer, it revealed the real problem. Steven had crossed from observing the situation into controlling it and still believed he had every right to do so. >> So, I just came back today to see to make sure I was going to I I went up to the to the guy and I was going to say, "Hey, listen. I want to make sure that there's not an illegal Mexican staying in there." >> So, this happened what what time last night? >> This was like two nights ago. >> So, not >> a couple of nights ago, like three nights ago. You first. You said last night. Now we're two nights. >> Three nights ago. >> So, okay. So, today's Monday, Sunday, Sat. So, say about Friday night. >> Nights ago. >> About Friday night, you think? >> Maybe. I don't know. I really don't know. It's been a couple of days. I gave it a few days to make sure. >> What class is this? I I don't understand. Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. >> It's a patrol officer. I can detain people. >> This acknowledges that the above named person, Mr. Donovan submitted an application for a class D security license. >> That's what I have. I have a class D. >> But here it says you submitted an application. >> No, I passed the test. Look at the backage stamp by the by the city. >> They received your application. >> No, I passed the test >> on 21125. >> I passed the test. I can show you it. >> You can't just go around detaining people all over the state of Florida. You know what I'm saying? With with a class D security license. Like say you you work at a bar, okay? And they hire you for security. While you're working for them, collecting a paycheck from them, and something happens, you can detain someone while law enforcement shows up. Okay? >> You can't just drive around town and start detaining people and and doing your own investigation. Do you understand that? >> If you have a class D security license, you can do the job that they are hiring for on their property. You can't be going out to the parking lot, man. Entertaining cats out in the parking lot. >> I understand. >> You understand that? >> Yeah, I got you now. >> Okay. You can't be driving around town, man. Be being like like like like like like like damn Batman. You understand what I'm saying? >> It's d I know you're saying, man. Well, I believe >> Okay. No, Florida's open carry for any human. >> Again, we already open. >> Okay. >> There's a difference. >> Okay. >> Okay. And if you're if you're working as a security guard, you have to have a special license to carry a firearm while you're a security guard. >> Class D. >> Okay. >> Okay. Well, that's not going to get >> you put in for a class D. >> So that means you can't even have the gun when you're doing anything. >> I got you. >> Class D is like the guys that work at Disney World. >> I got you, Matt. >> I seriously saying, Matt, >> have you been to Disney? >> You know what I'm saying? No, what I'm saying is that class >> bottom of the totem pole, >> but but they are a licensed security guard, but none of them carry. Okay. And also too, they only conduct their job while on Disney property. >> They can't go to 7-Eleven, something happens. And and and they can't hold someone. You know what I'm saying? >> Understandable, man. >> Off off Disney property, it don't mean yet. Why? >> Yeah. >> Steven's claimed authority finally came into focus. Passing a test may have convinced Steven he was qualified. It did not make him licensed, nor gave him the authority to carry a firearm, and it certainly did not give him the power to detain anyone. Wait, you're watching right now, but not subscribed to the channel. Go ahead and click that subscribe button. Awesome. Let's get back to the story. >> Now, I'll I'll I'll quit doing that [ __ ] Okay. >> Oh, cuz what's going to happen is is if you putting cats in handcuffs, you're going to be in handcuffs. >> Yeah. It's going to be a big old mess. I understand. >> All right. >> Yeah. You have to again read all all the >> I'm just going to get a job with Homeland Security, man. >> That's fine. >> That's what I'm doing. >> If if you if you're job with with them, then >> then I can do that type of stuff. >> You do what you want. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Listen, if you want to do a whole state, go to Texas. Be a damn Texas Ranger, man. >> I got you. >> Okay. Yeah. Yeah. >> All right. You want go do the whole state? Apply apply for the the the Florida Highway Patrol. >> Okay. >> Like you mean this guy here? Yeah. >> We can only pull over cars in Orange County. >> I got you. outside of Orange County. If I pull someone over, it's my ass. Okay. I don't have jurisdiction outside of of of of Orange County. >> Yes, sir. >> This piece of paper don't allow you to go around a damn damn damn vigilante, man. >> I got you, bro. >> Your hands scaring me, man. I'm just Well, you got a gun on you then. >> No, I got you, dude. Put your hands up. >> The officer nailed it with that one word. Vigilante. Steven didn't want the badge for good. He wanted it to be able to do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted, and wherever he wanted. Where's your firearm? >> It's right here on my left. >> All right, put your put your phone down. >> All right, bro. >> Listen, bro. I'm not trying to do anything, man. >> What? What? >> Where's your firearm? >> It's right here. >> Bend your elbow. >> Hold on. Relax. >> Hold on, bro. >> Where's your firearm? >> Right here, man. >> Yeah. >> You want to grab that for a second? >> Listen, bro. I'm cool, guys. I'm just trying to hurt people, man. >> That's all I got, dude. >> Okay. I have a knife. >> I don't care. >> I don't want You know what I'm saying though? >> No, that I'm trying to help people and it just it looks bad that you know. >> Well, you're going the whole wrong way. >> I got you, bro. I'm new to this [ __ ] >> Well, when you took your security class, they tell you all that stuff. I mean, >> was was the class online? >> Yes. Night up. Like I said, man, I'm not here to hurt no one, bro. I have the right to bear arms. I'm You know what I'm saying? And I just want to go home. I live by myself, man. Okay. Yes, sir. >> Leave everything down for a second. Okay. >> Yeah. I want you near that knife. >> Steven may have believed his intentions were good. But once those intentions led him to intervene in a situation while armed, officers could not simply let that misunderstanding continue. It had to be corrected before his self-appointed authority put others at risk. But that's my gun, dude. >> Okay. All right. >> Okay. I just want to go home, man. >> Okay. >> Please. >> You're saying when these kind of things happen, man, it's a process like when I come to a scene, man, I can't I don't It's not like cops a TV show. We go mam and then within a minute and a half of this commercial is done. Bottom on scene for like 3 hours. You know what I'm saying? Everything has a process. And I feel like that you you don't enjoy the process. You want you want [ __ ] done now. You know what I'm saying? You want to you want to be qualified now. You want to you want to you want to you want to fight crime now. And that's just not how things work. >> What happened was since I moved here, I just been chased around by a bunch of goons, man. You know what I'm saying? I've been harassed, stalked, people try to, you know, it's just been wild, man. I live over a plantation park. I had to call him. >> How long How long have you been at that residence? >> Six months now. >> And where were you before that? >> Tampa. >> You're in Tampa? >> Yeah. >> All right. So >> 20 years. >> Why? >> My dad used to do the radios for the Tampa Police Department. >> Why did you move from Tampa to here? >> I do design and I'm an artist. >> Okay. >> So I draw at the car I draw at the outlet mall. >> I I you know I I now I know I'm not going to be riding around being crazy. >> Well, I'm 47 years old. I haven't hurt anyone yet. I'm just saying I'm cool, man. >> The word yet scares me. >> I know what you're saying. But I'm not saying I don't plan on hurting anyone. I'm here to defend myself. You know what I'm saying? But but listen, the the reason why that that Florida allowed, okay, um the the the us to to to carry guns to steal, okay, is for protection, okay? >> Yes. >> You you you you call 911, okay? You don't just Now you're opening yourself up, okay, to get injured or to get in trouble >> or to shoot someone when when you haven't been fully trained on when >> I'm cold. when and when not to shoot. Okay. >> Okay. >> Yes. >> So, you go there and some guy some guy runs at you without a gun and you shoot him. You're gonna go to jail for life. >> I understand. >> And they're going to throw away throw away the the the damn key. >> Yes, sir. >> Cuz you weren't trained in when to shoot and when not to shoot. When to pull your gun, when not to pull your gun. Okay. If me and this this deputy here pull a gun when we should be pulling it, we get in trouble. We lose our jobs. Our family does not eat. >> Okay. That's why we have constant training on on this stuff. You can't you can't just do an on online course >> and all of a sudden you think that that you're ready to fight some some goddamn crime. >> I got you. >> Then that's that's why it takes a year to apply. That's why you're in the academy for six, seven months, then another three and a half months inhouse training and then another training for that. It's a year training before you even go out on your own. You know what I'm saying? you're doing that [ __ ] on online, man. It it it you're not prepared. >> Yeah. >> You're going to get yourself hurt, >> someone else hurt, >> and also yourself uh put in jail. >> Okay. >> All right. >> Yeah. >> I mean, you need to >> I'm just going to leave my [ __ ] at home. It's going to go home. >> No, no, no. You're allowed to carry the weapon. >> Okay. >> But >> I'm not going to be going around acting like Batman like 100%. No, >> I got you, bro. >> No, dude. >> Yeah. >> Because I mean it it's just gonna bad things going to happen. >> I understand that. >> All right. Now, if someone approaches you and they have a gun, blah blah or knife or whatever, then for your safety, if they have a knife or a gun or whatever, then then then you can pull pull your your concealed weapon. Okay. >> Now, what happened? You said you talk about >> All I said was I was I was chasing a Mexican, man. >> When? >> No, I'm just saying that night. It was like three nights ago and all I did was close the door. That's all I did, man. But >> I'm not trying to get back in there. >> My brother. >> Yeah. >> Closing a door and you talking about chasing a Mexican? Those are two different actions. >> The officer was not questioning Steven's right to own or carry a firearm. He was challenging the dangerous assumption that an online course had prepared him to use one in a law enforcement role. Carrying a gun was legal. Appointing himself to fight crime with it was not. But while one officer was correcting what Steven believed he was authorized to do, the second officer was returning with a witness who could describe what Steven had already done. >> Give me one second. >> Okay. >> What's going on with this guy? >> Yeah. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> So, what is this? He's saying he's the police. Is he the police? >> What? >> I think >> what what's going on? Like why is he what made you guys talk to him? >> I'll explain cuz he's um he speaks Spanish. So he was um driving around with his golf cart. The guy stopped him >> with a bicycle and told him I'm the police and showed a gun >> and told him, "Open the apartment 13102 for me because there's illegal people there and I'm trying to get them out. Apartment 13102 is empty. It's supposed to be empty, but they found out today that probably there are people squatting there >> because does he actually stay here on the property? seen this guy before? >> Have you seen him before? >> Not an employee, nothing like that, right? >> No. No. >> No. No. >> Okay. Who did he show the gun to and say he was the police >> to you? He said he was the police. >> And open the jacket and >> Yeah. And the jacket. No. I police. I And the gun in this side >> and showed you a gun. And >> Yeah. Here I put open the jacket. I police. Oh my god. I need to open the the the apartment. What happened? No, inside is illegal. The the immigrant illegal here. I check every what? Okay. The policeman never say the immigrant illegal. >> For me, I I feel it's not a beer. Oh my god. The policeman with beer for me. I talking I walking. I'm talking with remote here in this moment in front of the apartment and you >> okay he specifically said he was a police officer he didn't say security he said police >> okay >> too stand up Stephen put your hands behind your back why >> don't don't relax >> I don't have anything you >> I didn't commit any crime >> you did >> what you're saying a law >> no I'm not you did no I didn't >> you You did? >> No, I didn't. No, I did not. What's proof of that? >> What's that? >> What's the proof of that? >> Then you tell them that that that you're law enforcement. You want him to >> There's no proof of that. Did you say that? >> You did. >> No, I did not. >> Okay. >> But like I said, now what do you guys arrested me for? >> Person in Lo. >> I did not impersonate an officer. >> All right. >> But I'm saying though, where's your proof? >> Huh? >> What? But but where's your proof though, sir? >> The person that told me you did it. >> But you can't just go word of mouth. That's just hearsay. >> Okay. You believe that? But I'm saying >> you go with your online security course and we'll go with that. >> I'm just telling you though that >> I didn't do anything, but there's nothing I've done. Why are you arresting me? I'm trying to >> I'm supposed to call you guys that you are. You're supposed to call. >> I'm supposed to law enforcement officers. You're not a law enforcement officer. >> I was just about to call you guys. I just showed up here. I didn't even get a chance to call you. >> All right. >> You're right. >> Hold on. You guys tell me that I'm supposed to call you. Now I'm getting arrested. >> But you didn't call. >> No, this is ridiculous. I was just about to call you. I'm just saying I was just about to call you. I'm not trying to even patrol. I'm just an American citizen walking my bike around. >> Okay. >> How you can How can you arrest a cop? I don't understand. >> I'm not saying a cop cuz you're a cop. >> I'm not saying the problem. Not a cop. >> Sir, you can arrest cops. Cops do get arrested. >> Just because we're cops doesn't mean we don't get arrested. >> But I'm a patrol officer, aren't I? >> No, you're a citizen. >> No, it's of the United States of America. I know that. >> Yeah, >> but I'm a patrol officer from I went and got the stamp. I went and took the class and went down and got a stamp from the Department of Agriculture, man. >> Okay. It doesn't mean you're security guard for the United States of America. >> Okay. But I'm just saying >> security guard if you're in the security guard here. I'm just riding my bike around, man. >> You just said you're a patrol officer. >> No, I I I'm a patrol officer, but that doesn't mean I was patrolling here. >> Okay. >> If you guys want to take my gun, take my gun. Let me go. I don't give a, man. Even with the distinction laid out plainly, Steven continued confusing training, paperwork, and good intentions with actual police authority. But the officers had reached the point his arguments could no longer change. Steven was not being arrested as a fellow officer. He was being arrested for allegedly pretending to be one. And before they took him away, there was still one final consequence waiting. >> Hey, come here. Pull the paper out so you can read it. All right, everybody, >> listen up. Just read that. >> Trap passing warning. You are her warned that you are not authorized, licensed or invicted to be this premised and may be arrested if you refuse to leave or return at any time in f in the future. >> All right, you're all set. Thank you. All right. >> Basically, you cannot come on the entire property ever again. If you turn property ever again, that you'll be arrested on the spot. Okay, you understand? Steven was charged with impersonating a law enforcement officer and later faced an additional burglary related charge. He was also formally trespassed from the property and released after posting a $1,000 bond. Court records show that he pleaded not guilty. Now it's your turn to weigh in. Do you believe Steven genuinely misunderstood his authority or did he knowingly use the appearance of police authority to get others to comply? Subscribe to Case Point for more body cam cases where confidence and authority are put to the test. Thanks for watching and we'll see you in the next one.