Seven deputies at the Broward County Sheriff’s Office in South Florida were placed on administrative leave following their mishandling of a domestic violence case that resulted in three deaths. Sheriff Gregory Tony criticized their performance, noting that they failed to act on multiple warning signs regarding Nathan Gingles, who is accused of the murders of his estranged wife Mary, her father, and a neighbor. Despite previous threats reported by Ms. Gingles, the deputies neglected to follow up or impound Gingles’ firearms. Sheriff Tony emphasized that the failures arose from deputy negligence, not systemic issues, and promised accountability to maintain community trust.
A total of seven deputies from a South Florida sheriff’s office have been placed on administrative leave following a series of “multitude of shortcomings” in a domestic violence incident that resulted in three fatalities, according to remarks made by the sheriff this week, who criticized the deputies’ actions.
During a news conference Wednesday, Sheriff Gregory Tony of Broward County addressed the mishandling of the case involving Mary Gingles from Tamarac, Fla., and her estranged husband, Nathan Gingles. Mr. Gingles, aged 43, is charged with fatally shooting Ms. Gingles, along with her father and a neighbor. He faces three counts of first-degree murder using a firearm, among other offenses, as detailed in a police report.
“We fell short on this one,” Sheriff Tony stated at the press conference. “There will be individuals that will lose their jobs over this,” he added.
Sheriff Tony mentioned that the deputies placed on leave include one lieutenant, two sergeants, and four deputy officers, although their names were not disclosed.
The missteps in this case date back more than a year, according to the sheriff, who highlighted numerous calls that were overlooked and could have led to Mr. Gingles being stripped of his firearms, which Sheriff Tony noted could have been seized. However, it seems there was no follow-up on these calls: a firearm believed to have been used in the murders was later retrieved from a nearby canal, as reported by the police.
In December, Ms. Gingles expressed her fears to a deputy, stating that she was worried her husband would kill her and provided information that indicated Mr. Gingles posed a genuine threat, according to the sheriff. Yet the deputy failed to take action based on this report.
“There was sufficient evidence that could have allowed us to potentially pursue a probable-cause affidavit to arrest him and take him off the streets,” Sheriff Tony remarked, “but that did not occur.”
The sheriff underlined that the errors made were not due to issues related to policies, procedures, training, or equipment. He attributed the shortcomings to the deputies’ lack of performance, “complacency, and failure to exercise due diligence.”
The Broward Sheriff’s Office Professional Association, the police union, did not respond to requests for comments on Saturday. It remains unclear whether Mr. Gingles has legal representation.
On the day of the shootings, an Amber Alert was issued statewide for Ms. Gingles’s 4-year-old daughter, who was subsequently found with Mr. Gingles in North Lauderdale, according to the police report.
This incident marks yet another controversy for the Broward County sheriff’s office, one of the largest in Florida with a population of approximately two million. In 2023, 17 deputies faced charges for defrauding federal loan programs aimed at assisting businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, amounting to nearly $500,000.
In the aftermath of the 2020 George Floyd protests and other notable instances of police misconduct, law enforcement agencies across the United States are increasingly pressured to maintain accountability, ensuring it is done swiftly and transparently to uphold community trust.
During Wednesday’s news conference, Sheriff Tony advocated for heightened transparency, asserting his commitment to “ensuring this community continues to trust us and to know that when we falter, accountability will be enforced.”
“It’s incredibly frustrating for me to stand here and confront this reality, especially given our organization’s challenges,” he expressed.