Video: Hard Rock police shooting unfolds

EXCLUSIVE: Video shows last year's Hard Rock police shooting unfold

By Josh Rojas, Reporter
Last Updated: Saturday, April 21, 2012

TAMPA --
Exclusive surveillance video has been obtained by Bay News 9 of a chase at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino last year that ended with a Seminole Tribe police officer shooting a man who tried to run him over in a golf cart.

The incident happened exactly one year ago Saturday at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino near Tampa. Officer Daniel McGillicuddy's use of deadly force was ruled justified by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Hillsborough State Attorney's Office.


Jonathan Bestoso, who had hijacked a golf cart from a maintenance worker, was shot three times but survived. He's facing several charges.

The video, compiled from multiple cameras, opens by showing the then 24-year-old Bestoso running after maintenance worker Dagoberto Diaz, who’s driving a golf cart in the casino's parking garage. About a minute later, Bestoso is still seen chasing the golf cart at full sprint.

Not shown on the video, but alleged in a Florida Department of Law Enforcement report, Bestoso caught up with Diaz and punched him in the face. Bestoso then drove off in the golf cart, leaving Diaz's broken gold necklace behind.

The video shows Bestoso driving the golf cart on the lower level of the parking garage with McGillicuddy, who had witnessed the struggle, chasing him on foot.

An outdoor surveillance camera then captured video of the stolen golf cart entering the main parking lot near the casino entrance. About one minute after that, McGillicuddy is seen running across the parking lot to intercept the golf cart after it had circled around.

As Bestoso comes driving around that corner, McGillicuddy side-steps into the path of the golf cart, and Bestoso runs him over.

As McGillicuddy is being dragged, according to the FDLE report, the officer shoots Bestoso three times. That's not visible on the video.


Another officer in a cruiser cut off the golf cart, and Bestoso ran about 50 feet away before collapsing on a grassy area in the parking lot.

Bestoso was shot in the thigh, shoulder and chest and was taken to Tampa General Hospital in critical condition. McGillicuddy also was hospitalized and had to wear a neck brace afterward.


McGillicuddy is still on the police force and he turned down Bay News 9’s request for an interview.

Bestoso was charged with carjacking, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, battery and obstructing or opposing an officer with violence. Court records show he was ordered to undergo a psychiatric exam. He has a court hearing scheduled for next month.

According to the report, Diaz told investigators that he did not smell alcohol on Bestoso but believed "the man was crazy by the way he was behaving."