RUSH COUNTY, Ind. — Court documents reveal that a Rush County deputy pointed an unloaded firearm at a coworker inside the county’s dispatch center.
Despite the deputy allegedly assuring the victim that, “It’s just the frame, it can’t hurt you,” the victim told police she felt frightened by the gun aimed in her direction — frightened so much she turned in her resignation.
Deputy Bobby Peck, 42, has been officially charged with two criminal misdemeanors: pointing an (unloaded) firearm at another person and criminal recklessness.
Last week, Rush County Sheriff Allan Rice confirmed that he and his department were aware of the allegations and criminal charges brought forward against Peck. The sheriff and his department provided no information, however, about the details behind the allegations or the status of Peck’s employment within the department.
Court documents filed with the Rush County court reveal that the incident occurred on June 21 within the Rush County Dispatch Center. The court documents also reveal that the victim was another county employee: a communications officer within the dispatch center.
According to the court documents, another deputy showed Peck his Glock 43 pistol inside the dispatch center. The deputy reportedly partially disassembled the Glock, including removing the slide and magazine, before passing the weapon over to Peck.
It is here that Peck is accused of calling out the victim’s name and pointing the firearm at her.
The victim reportedly told Peck not to point a gun at her, prompting Peck to tell her the weapon wasn’t even fully assembled.
Body camera footage allegedly shows Peck then reassembling the handgun, however.
“Peck then appears to point the assembled firearm in (the victim’s) direction,” the court documents detail.
After examining the gun some more, Peck returns the Glock to the other deputy.
The victim later told investigators that the first time Peck pointed the firearm at her she wasn’t aware the gun was partially disassembled. When he pointed the assembled firearm in her direction a second time, she became frightened.
The victim ended up resigning from her position due to not feeling safe, court documents reveal.
Investigation of the incident was handed over to the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department.
Court documents reveal that bodycam footage from two different deputies, including Peck, was recovered as part of the investigation. The bodycam footage did not include sound, however.
Multiple witnesses were also interviewed as part of the investigation.
One deputy told investigators that Peck and the victim reportedly did not get along.
Rice has not provided any information regarding the status of Peck’s employment within the department.
Peck wasn’t arrested but instead issued a summons to appear in court. His initial hearing is set for Aug. 12.
