A Michigan man has filed suit against Genesee County as a result of allegedly being shot in the leg during a confrontation with a park ranger. He claims that he was unfairly pursued by the ranger after she mistakenly believed he had stolen her purse.
On October 30, 2013 Flint, Michigan resident Darryl Scott was confronted by an unnamed Genesee County park ranger as he and his nephew walked along a local road at about 10:00 pm. According to Scott, the female park ranger ordered him to stop, identifying herself as a police officer, and said that if he didn’t stop she would shoot. Scott, who was unarmed at the time, reportedly ran to a local restaurant and asked an employee to call police, saying that he did not know why the woman was pursuing him. Upon trying to enter the restaurant Scott was reportedly turned away.
The park ranger allegedly caught up with Scott at the restaurant, where she allegedly shot at him several times with her county-issued handgun, with one of the bullets striking him in his left leg. She then restrained him until police arrived and arranged for Scott to be transported to a local hospital and receive surgical attention for his bullet wound.
In the moments leading up to the confrontation the park ranger had been in a local laundromat, and had noticed someone had stolen her purse. Thinking that the thief had been Scott, she pursued him. But, according to Michigan State Police Lt. Brian Cole, police were later able to find the individual who was believed to have been the actual purse-snatcher.
Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton is reviewing the case in order to determine whether or not the park ranger, a seasonal employee, should face criminal charges.