x
Breaking News
More () »

Tempe officer in controversial stop had troubling history with suspects

Officer Ronald Kerzaya is the same officer who held a Black hotel worker at gunpoint while looking for a white suspect.

TEMPE, Ariz. — 12 News obtained Tempe Police Officer Ronald Kerzaya’s service record this week, showing what he and other investigators said about the two high profile use of force incidents he's been involved in. 

Kerzaya is also the same officer who held a Black hotel worker at gunpoint while looking for a white suspect.

He was not fired for either incident, but he was reassigned to a desk for at least a year.

In his report for the tasering incident, Kerzaya wrote he was called to a domestic violence call.

When he got there he wrote Ivaughn Oakry looked like he was ready to fight.

Kerzaya wanted to put him in handcuffs until he could figure out what happened.

Oakry backed into the apartment, arguing with Kerzaya, then picked up his one-year-old.

Kerzaya wrote another officer took the two other kids outside on the patio.

Kerzaya wrote when the dad moved toward the patio, he and the other officers decide to fire their tasers.

An internal investigation found that Kerzaya did not break any rules, but should receive more training.

“Shame on him [Oakry]," retired police officer Jeff Hynes said. "He picked up that child as a defensive mechanism to slow these officers down.”

While Hynes criticizes Oakry, he also says Kerzaya deserves some blame too.

“They’re saying what the officer did was appropriate based on his and their perception of the force that was necessary to end the situation," Hynes said. "Well, there are other options."

Hines says options like de-escalating the situation or talking Oakry down.

The internal investigation found when Oakry grabbed the baby, he limited officer Kerzaya’s options.

But Hines says it’s not that simple.

“But you also in today’s environment got to slow it down and think it through," Hynes said. "Especially when somebody’s holding a one-year-old child. It has no positive outcome.”

    

Before You Leave, Check This Out