By Jami Ganz
New York Daily News
LUCAS COUNTY, Ohio — An IRS security guard in Ohio pleaded not guilty Monday to pulling a gun on a uniformed sheriff’s deputy.
Seth Eklund, 33, pleaded not guilty to one count of aggravated menacing against Lucas County Sheriff’s Deputy Alan Gaston after the latter refused to leave his weapon in his vehicle, ABC News reports.
Gaston, a defensive tactics instructor, arrived at the Toledo IRS office on May 31 in full uniform, with both his badge and gun visible, according to ABC affiliate WTVG. Eklund ordered Gaston, who was on duty at the time, to leave his gun in his car.
Gaston said he couldn’t do that, leading to Eklund pointing his own weapon at Gaston’s back.
“Basically preparing myself to be shot at that moment,” Gaston told WTVG. “Bracing for a shot in my back.”
Security footage of the incident shows Eklund with his weapon drawn as he follows Gaston to the elevator. Eklund’s weapon was still drawn when he tried to take Gaston into custody.
After receiving a 911 call, Toledo police came to the scene, though the unidentified caller didn’t inform the dispatcher the situation involved a uniformed sheriff’s deputy.
Gaston is currently on medical leave from the sheriff’s office. He and his wife are seeking compensation and filed a civil lawsuit against both Eklund and the security company for allegedly suffering emotional and psychological distress as well as lost wages.
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