Deputy shooting investigation reopened

The Pinal County Sheriff’s Department has reopened an investigation into the April shooting of Deputy Louie Puroll after media reports released information contradicting the original investigation.

Puroll was allegedly shot by marijuana smugglers at a distance of 25 yards in an area 20 miles south of Maricopa. Suspicion was aroused regarding the incident after a sweep of the area by more than 200 law enforcement officials netted no suspects in the shooting

The case was considered closed until late last week when former New York City Medical Examiner Michael Burns and former Detroit medical examiner Werner Spitz issued opinions stating the deputy was shot from mere inches.

The opinions reawakened suspicions about whether the deputy shot himself.

Maricopa County’s chief medical examiner Phil Keen disagreed with the outside opinions, adding he would need to test the deputy’s shirt for gunpowder residue to confirm his view.

Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu said to ensure transparency in his department the case would be reopened and the shirt would be provided to the county examiner for testing.

The statement backs off one he made during the original investigation in which he contended that Puroll’s account was corroborated by his office and by a DPS crime-scene analysis, so there was no need to examine the garment for evidence such as powder burns.