2 officers quit, 3rd facing police inquiry

Diggs orders investigation into gun discharged into floor

Police Chief Derrick Diggs ordered an investigation into the dis-charge of a gun at an apartment that caused two officers to resign.

A single gunshot inside a downtown apartment building has led to two Toledo police officers’ resignations, an internal investigation against a third, and a criminal probe ordered by Police Chief Derrick Diggs.

The resignations Wednesday of Officer Jada Smith, 25, and Thursday of Officer Scott Macinnis, 33, followed the incident Saturday at the Standart Lofts, Toledo Police Lt. Mark King said. A third officer, Carlyle Gafeney, 27, has been relieved of duty with pay pending an Internal Affairs investigation.

Police also said Thursday that Chief Derrick Diggs has begun a criminal investigation into the discharge of a firearm at the apartment building at 34 S. Erie St.

According to authorities, there were reports of a woman firing a gun and trying to harm herself at about 1:30 a.m. Saturday at the Standart. Ms. Smith and Mr. Macinnis, who were involved in the dispute, were off-duty at the time.

An incident report released Thursday said Ms. Smith and Mr. Macinnis had a disagreement that caused Ms. Smith to become distraught. The report says that Ms. Smith then fired a gun into the floor. Officers recovered a 40-caliber handgun and ammunition from the apartment, and found a single shell casing.

That report squares with a recording of a 911 call placed by Mr. Macinnis that night. In the recording, Mr. Macinnis claims Ms. Smith, whom he identifies as his girlfriend, fired a shot in an attempt to harm herself.

“My girlfriend just grabbed her gun — she’s a cop too — and tried to [expletive] fire a shot off,” Mr. Macinnis said.

Mr. Macinnis told a dispatcher that he wrestled the gun from Ms. Smith, and that he had her restrained and was not sure how he would let officers into the building. He reported he couldn’t let her free because he had too many guns in the apartment.

Ms. Smith could be heard in the background crying, and possibly struggling to break free, with Mr. Macinnis telling her to stop.

“Why did you do this to me?” Ms. Smith said to Mr. Macinnis, to which he responded, “I didn’t do anything. Why did you grab the gun?”

Lieutenant King said Officer Gafeney was not in the apartment at the time of the incident. That officer’s connection with the incident was not explained Thursday.

Toledo police had confirmed that the officers were under investigation, but have not released incident details. According to letters sent to inform them of their relief of duty, both Mr. Macinnis and Ms. Smith were originally suspended with pay on Saturday, but Mr. Macinnis’ pay was withdrawn Monday.

Ms. Smith was cited in April for a hit-skip near downtown Toledo on I-75. Police records show she lost control, spun out, and struck a tree. She did not immediately notify police; instead, she parked the car near the Standart.

Police records show Ms. Smith was given a one-day suspension following that incident, though that suspension was stayed for three years.

Contact Nolan Rosenkrans at: nrosenkrans@theblade.com or 419-724-6086, or on Twitter @NolanRosenkrans.