2015/10/02
There is nothing more annoying for a light sleeper to be woken up in the early hours of the morning.
Perhaps, that is what upset state trooper Kissinger Barreau when he heard knocking on the door of his New Jersey home at 2 am on Sunday morning.
It turned out that 18-year-old John Marasco and his two friends rung Barreau’s doorbell hoping one of their buddies would come out.
It turns out not only did they have the wrong house, but they also had made one of the worst mistakes of their lives.
First they heard a man behind the door address the trio in rather foul language.
Before they could reel from that shock they found themselves at the wrong end of Barreau’s gun.
One of the boys, Jesse Barkhorn, said they started “freaking out” at the sight of the weapon.
The enraged off-duty policeman fired three shots, fortunately they missed the boys – despite the possibility that they were aimed towards them.
However, one bullet hit the tire on the boys’ car.
Once the teenagers were at a safe distance, about a mile down the road, they decided to call their parents and report the freak encounter to the police.
Imagine their shock horror when they realized that the helicopters and sirens they heard were because police were looking for them.
Little did the boys know that the man who had tried to kill them was a state trooper and he had called the cops too.
The teenagers were held in custody for nine hours following the curious incident.
According to the New Jersey Attorney General’s office, Barreau is currently under investigation.
He maintains that he told the boys what he did for a living. The young men deny this claim. He also says they exchanged words through the door. Again, the teenagers reject this account stating that they left as soon as they heard Barreau shout profanities.
The police officer’s still active on duty as the investigation continues.
One of the victims’ older brothers says police need to use better decision-making skills when it comes to using their weapon.
“You shouldn’t be able to fire your gun whenever you want,” he adds.
These are powerful comments in light of the fact that members of law enforcement need to exercise excellent judgment while serving the community, this is especially true when it comes to using a weapon.
Barreau’s services may be required by the department for a number of reasons; however, it is fair to question whether he is fit to deal with the public.
His choice to use a gun on teenagers for a mistake that anyone could have made, raises concerns about the safety of the civilians he interacts with.
Watch the video below:
