Deputy found sleeping in the aftermath of shooting is fired

By Anne Geggis / Sun Sentinel

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. —The deputy who was caught snoozing while on patrol in the wake of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, has been fired from the Broward Sheriff’s Office, records show.

Moises Carotti, 40, an 18-year BSO veteran working in the Deerfield Beach division, was at first recommended for a 10-day suspension for the March 19 nap and other deficiencies, but the highly public nature of his snooze warranted his firing, records show.

Carotti was fired last month.

“When assigned to provide safety at a school in the aftermath of 17 people being shot and killed at the school, he denigrated the public’s opinion of all BSO deputies by shockingly and inexcusably falling asleep in his BSO patrol car,” an internal affairs report reads.

The report also notes that Zachary Cruz, brother of the shooter, illegally came onto school grounds and stimulated police radio chatter during a period of time that ended about 45 minutes before Carotti was found sleeping that same day, on March 19.

The Cruz incident ended at about 4:30 p.m., the report says. At 5:15 p.m., the report says an unidentified student caught the attention BSO Sergeant Rick Lacerra, pointed at Carotti asleep in his patrol and shouted, “Is this how you guys do stuff here at BSO?”

Lacerra “confirmed that Deputy Carotti’s eyes were closed and that his head was tilted slightly downward as if he was asleep,” the report reads.

A YouTube.com video had been playing on Carotti’s laptop when he was found.

Lacerra banged on the door and saw Carotti jump and wake up. He apologized about falling asleep, according to the report.

The report notes Carotti had been suspended two other times since 2016 for deficient work. He had been commended recently, though, for rousting trespassers from unoccupied lifeguard stations .

Carotti told investigators that he had felt more sick than tired on March 19 and probably should have called in sick.