Pueblo sheriff's office investigating video of detention deputy's straight-armed salute
The Pueblo County Sheriff's Office has launched an internal investigation after a detention deputy performed a straight-armed gesture resembling a Nazi salute in a Snapchat video, a PCSO spokesperson confirmed to the Chieftain.
An internal investigation was launched into Deputy Bradley John Paine's actions after an anonymous source sent the video to KRDO News Channel 13.
In the video published by KRDO, Paine, another unidentified man, and a woman can be seen sitting around what appears to be a kitchen table.
The woman asks the unidentified man, "What do you have to say for yourself?" and the man replies, "White power." The camera then pans to Paine, who performs the straight-armed gesture while saying something undecipherable. The unidentified woman then raises her glass.
Gayle Perez, a PCSO spokesperson, stated the sheriff's office had not received a copy of the video as of Wednesday morning. However, she stated it appeared the video in question was recorded while the nine-year veteran deputy was off duty.
While an internal investigation has been launched to determine whether the deputy's actions in the video violate PCSO policies, Perez said the deputy has not been placed on leave.
A similar gesture received national attention in January when Elon Musk, the richest man in the world and the head of the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), performed a gesture during Trump's inauguration festivities that later drew online comparisons to a Nazi salute.
Musk addressed being called a "Nazi" by people on social media in a conversation with podcast host Joe Rogan in late February.
"It was obviously meant in the most positive spirit possible," Musk told Rogan, according to USA Today, "... Now I can never point at things diagonally."
However, several white nationalist and right-wing extremist accounts embraced and celebrated the gesture, as reported by the Associated Press.
More local news: Pueblo's homeless can now be ticketed for public camping regardless of available shelter
Questions, comments, or story tips? Contact Justin at jreutterma@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formally known as Twitter, @jayreutter1. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain atsubscribe.chieftain.com.
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: PCSO investigating video of jail deputy's straight-armed salute
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