A Florida deputy was forced to resign after video showed him threatening a Black pregnant mother in front of her three children while aiming a gun at her, all related to a traffic stop. The mother identified in local media reports as Ebony Washington exercised extreme self control, calmly answered each of the deputy’s questions when he allowed her to, and ended up with a speeding ticket.
Video the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office released to NBC News began with Deputy Jacob Desue aiming a gun at Ebony Washington on Aug. 12, 2022 and screaming: "You make any movement, that'll be your last mistake you're gonna make.”
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Bradford County Sheriff Gordon Smith told First Coast News Washington did everything right. “She does exactly what I would tell my daughter, my wife, my neighbor, anybody else that may feel uncomfortable: You reduce your speed, you turn on your flashing lights, be acknowledged," Smith said.
He added:
“Deputy Desue should have cleared it, checked with the children, make sure they're safe. Why were they upset? We don't know why they're upset. I'd later determine it was probably because of the way their mother was being treated out there by an officer with a gun. The whole thing would upset my children, my grandchildren. So a lot of things that should have been done weren't done. And at the end of the day, we determined that was something that we didn't need representing us, or protecting our community.”
It’s unclear how much time passed in between Desue’s directive not to move and his demand for Washington to get out of the SUV. “I ain’t worried. I got my gun on you,” he said. “We’re all good here. Step out.”
Washington explained that she still had her seatbelt on, and the deputy told her to “go ahead, take it off.” He then told her: “Go ahead. Try something.”
Warning: This video contains footage that may be triggering for viewers.
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When Washington stepped out of the vehicle, she tried to explain that she had her three children with her, but the deputy cut her off to ask the very question she was answering. “Who else is in the vehicle,” he screamed.
“I’m trying to talk,” Washington responded. “I have my three kids in the car, and the reason why I did not stop is because I’m in the middle of nowhere, and my husband tells me not ...” It’s unclear what made Washington stop speaking, but the deputy told her “your excuse means nothing to me right now.”
Desue continued to blurt out conflicting directives, switching between yelling frantically and making subtle threats. At one point, he told Washington to turn around and walked to her with his gun aimed at her back.
“I’ve never been pulled over like this before,” Washington said.
Desue used her admission as another opportunity to ask a question she had already answered. “You don’t know how a traffic stop works,” he said.
A child could be heard saying, “she didn’t say anything” while another began to cry.
The armed deputy yelled: “You don’t know that a vehicle’s behind you with lights and sirens for a mile, and you’re not gonna move over?”
Washington explained that she’s four months pregnant, it’s dark out, and she didn’t want her children to feel uncomfortable, so she put her hazard lights on and continued driving in search of a well-lit area to pullover in.
Desue responded: “And then all that is shady. That’s why I’m doing what I’m doing right now.”
When Washington attempted to explain why she was detailing her reasoning to the deputy, it seemed to unexpectedly trigger him yet again. In mere seconds he was screaming again: “I don’t care about why! Just shut up!”
The mother responded: “Yes, sir.”
But Desue still screamed: “Don’t care about the why!”
Washington was given a speeding ticket and apologized to the officer, which was shown in footage First Coast News obtained.
Desue’s response was: “Apologize to yourself for not thinking.”
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