Accidental Gunfire Leads To Firing Of School Resource Deputy

NEW PORT RICHEY, FL — More than five months after his service weapon accidentally discharged at a Wesley Chapel middle School, a school resource deputy has been fired.

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco announced Wednesday that an investigation into the incident found that Cpl. Jonathan Cross was fidgeting with his holstered Sig Sauer P320 pistol when it went off during lunch period April 30 at Weightman Middle School.

Nocco said surveillance video showed Cross lifting the pistol in and out of his holster. He said the action may have engaged the trigger, causing the gun to fire.

Cross, who has been on administrative leave since the incident, admitted when interviewed that he had a bad habit of fidgeting with his gun, Nocco said.

The investigation concluded that Cross had been mishandling the weapon, an action considered conduct unbecoming a deputy and a firing offense, the sheriff said.

“Ultimately, it comes down to, if you leave the gun in the holster, it’s not going to go off,” Nocco said. “His actions with his weapon caused it to fire. I just want to thank God that no kids in that lunch room were hurt. It’s sad what we have to do today. It would have been tragic if a child was harmed.”

There were about 10 students in the cafeteria at the time the gun went off. The bullet struck a wall behind Cross.

Initially, there was speculation that the Sig Sauer P320 may have been defective.

The manufacturer confirmed that, in rare cases, the P320 had fired when dropped on its butt. The company offered to upgrade guns experiencing this problem.

However, Nocco said all the department's Sig Sauer service pistols, including Cross' weapon, had already been upgraded.

Both the sheriff’s office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement conducted tests of Cross' pistol and concluded that it was functioning properly.

Cross had been assigned to Weightman Middle School for two years. He joined the sheriff's office in 2005.

Related story: Resource Officer's Gun Accidentally Discharges At Pasco School