Man accused of pulling BB pistol on Graves County deputy

FOX23 News at 9 p.m.

GRAVES COUNTY, Ky., (KBSI) — A man faces several charges after authorities say he pulled what appeared to be a handgun on a Graves County sheriff’s deputy during an attempted arrest.

Deputy Zach Smith responded around 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4, to a home on Pritchett Road while investigating the reported harassment of a woman.

The Graves County Sheriff’s Office said 38-year-old Kyle D. Staples initially gave the deputy a false name. After confirming Staples’ identity, Smith learned that Staples was wanted on an active felony warrant from Fulton County.

When Smith informed him about the warrant, Staples allegedly said he was not going to jail and pulled what appeared to be a semiautomatic handgun from his pocket.

Sheriff Jon Hayden said the encounter shows how quickly a routine call can escalate and force an officer to make a split-second decision about whether deadly force is necessary.

“Law enforcement officers find themselves in situations sometimes where you have to make a split-second decision when it comes to the use of deadly force, and this is a perfect example of how quick things can escalate just instantaneously,” Hayden said. “One minute you’re having a casual conversation with the person, and the next minute they’re pulling a gun out on you.”

Hayden said the weapon was not pointed directly at Smith, and the deputy determined he did not believe his life was in immediate danger.

Authorities said a brief standoff followed before Staples threw the weapon to the ground and surrendered. Investigators later determined the weapon was a BB pistol.

Hayden said officers had no way of knowing at the time that the weapon was not a real firearm.

After Staples was taken into custody, Hayden said he asked him why he pulled the weapon and why he eventually decided to put it down.

“He wanted the deputy to shoot him because he didn’t want to go to jail,” Hayden said. “And I asked him why he decided to put the gun down.”

Hayden described the incident as an attempt at what is commonly referred to as “suicide by cop.”

According to Hayden, Staples said he recognized Smith from previous encounters and remembered that the deputy had always treated him with respect.

“He told me that he recognized at some point when that was occurring that the deputy was a deputy that he had encountered before,” Hayden said. “The deputy had always treated him with respect and was always nice to him.”

Staples reportedly told Hayden he did not want to force Smith to shoot him.

Hayden said encounters like this leave officers with only moments to decide whether they believe their lives are in danger.

“When it comes right down to that moment, you have to decide if your life’s in danger and you’re going to use deadly force,” Hayden said. “That’s a very personal decision that an officer has to make. We’re human too. But we’re just so thankful that this turned out the way it did.”

Staples is charged with identity theft, menacing and resisting arrest. He was also taken into custody on the Fulton County felony warrant.

The sheriff’s office said Staples has previous convictions for first-degree burglary, theft of a firearm and terroristic threatening.

Staples was taken to the Graves County Restricted Custody Center before being transferred to an out-of-county detention facility.

“Deputy Smith exercised a lot of restraint during the incident and acted in a professional manner, which is a credit to his profession and character,” Hayden said.