The Arizona deputy involved in a disputed high-profile shooting incident last spring has been put on paid administrative leave by Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu, after making a number of loaded statements to a reporter.Deputy Louie Puroll is the man who made headlines across the country in April, when he said he was shot in the desert by drug smugglers. The incident occurred just days after Gov. Jan Brewer (R) signed Arizona’s controversial new immigration law, and helped propel Sheriff Babeu to national prominence as a voice on border issues. But in September, reporter Paul Rubin published a story in the Phoenix New Times that questioned Puroll’s tale, and which featured interviews with law enforcement and forensic experts casting doubts on several aspects of the deputy’s account.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=117473