Man shot by deputy spoke of ‘blood of Jesus’ during incident, sheriff says

Deputy Jennifer Smiley, a 19-year veteran of the department, was the officer involved and is on paid administrative leave per department policy.

>> Man injured in officer-involved shooting in Possum Creek MetroPark

The man was identified as 29-year-old Cory Driscoll. He was taken to the hospital for treatment and is not in custody at this time, Streck said.

A 911 caller reported a suspicious man, later identified as Driscoll, at the park who was speaking incoherently and suddenly took off running toward a pond without shoes.

Smiley was in the area for an unrelated incident when the call came in and responded.

She arrived on the scene before other responders, Streck said.

Smiley found the man’s vehicle, during which the man returned, wet and carrying a container with a liquid inside.

The man was later identified as 29-year-old Cory Driscoll.

Smiley repeatedly told him to drop the container, which she believed had gasoline inside, Streck said.

She fired one round while backing away from Driscoll.

Smiley has no blemishes on her record, Streck said. The department has not had an prior incidents involving Driscoll.

INITIAL REPORT:

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office will host a press conference today to address the deputy-involved shooting that took place over the weekend at Possum Creek MetroPark.

The press conference will begin at 1:30 p.m.

A previous press release issued by the sheriff’s office said the incident began Sunday evening when a caller told sheriff’s office dispatchers that a man had been speaking incoherently for more than an hour and was acting like he was under the influence of drugs. The caller also said the man suddenly took off running without shoes.

Five Rivers MetroParks rangers were dispatched to the park on Frytown Road around 8:28 p.m., but it was a sheriff’s deputy who was already in the area who arrived at the scene first.

The deputy found the man and requested a medic because the man was drinking gasoline, according to the sheriff’s office. Additional deputies and rangers were also dispatched to help.

Before the additional first responders were able to arrive, the deputy reported that the officer-involved shooting had taken place.

Officials have declined to release details about the shooting, including the name of the deputy or person shot, and more details about what prompted the shooting.