Body cam shows man killed by deputies ignored orders

Brian Puskas refused to obey the repeated commands of the first Delaware County deputy who responded to a 911 domestic- violence call Wednesday morning at his Sunbury home, video from the deputy’s body camera shows.

Puskas, 47, eventually was fatally shot by three deputies with the Delaware County sheriff’s office during a confrontation that lasted several minutes in the large front yard of the home in the 11000 block of Kilbourne Road.

Puskas was pronounced dead at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at OhioHealth Grady Memorial Hospital.

The sheriff’s office released on Thursday the names of the three deputies who fired their guns: Deputy Zachary Swick, who has been with the sheriff’s office for two years; Sgt. Robert Spring, a 24- year veteran; and Deputy Troy Gibson, who has 18 years of service.

Puskas’ wife initially called 911 to say that her husband had come home from work early and was acting extremely erratic, the sheriff’s office said. He had threatened to kill her and was acting violently, she said. She told a dispatcher that he was taking medication for high blood pressure and depression.

The sheriff’s office also released the body camera video for Swick, who was the first deputy to arrive. There are 25 body and dashcam videos from the incident that eventually will be released after the three deputies are interviewed by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, according to Tracy Whited, spokeswoman for the Delaware County sheriff’s office.

The video shows that when Swick first arrived, he reported that Puskas was holding a rifle. After getting out of his cruiser, Swick repeatedly yelled from a distance for Puskas — who no longer was holding a weapon — to put his hands up, to “stop right there” and to “get on the ground.”

Puskas ignored the commands and can be seen in the video walking in circles as Swick moves in on him with his gun drawn.

Swick stumbles, causing his body camera to drop to the grass. The last audio that can be heard in the 90- second clip is Puskas telling Swick: “Go to hell, bitch.”

The sheriff’s office said Puskas went back inside the house, then came back outside with knives and other weapons, which led to a standoff with Swick and the other two deputies.

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is investigating. The three deputies were placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure after a law- enforcement officer shoots someone.