Bodycam footage captured the terrifying moment a group of U.S. Marshals and sheriff's deputies fell several feet after a wooden deck suddenly collapsed beneath them.
Videos by Wide Open Country
The incident occurred on July 21 in Missouri and involved a federal task force consisting of four deputy U.S. Marshals and five Randolph County sheriff's deputies.
Authorities were standing on the second-floor deck of the home of Jacob Alexander Munoz, a convicted sex offender, when the structure gave way.
US Marshals Incident Captured on Bodycam Footage
The dramatic footage shows the heavily armed task force gathered around the property's front door. They were standing on a wooden deck.
Without warning, the structure detached from the home and collapsed, sending the officers crashing to the ground in a pile of wooden beams and debris.
Other officers at the scene immediately rushed toward the wreckage to help their injured colleagues.
Five of the nine officers required hospital treatment for injuries ranging from broken bones and torn muscles to concussions. Fortunately, none suffered life-threatening injuries.
"When I saw that video and at the scene saw the length of decking that had collapsed, it's a miracle they weren't more seriously injured," Steven Lewis, the US marshal for the Eastern District of Missouri, said.
Officers Were Carrying Out Sex Offender Enforcement Operation
The federal task force was reportedly carrying out a multiweek enforcement effort at the time of the frightening incident.
The initiative, Operation Adam's Watch, honors six-year-old Adam Walsh, whose 1981 abduction and murder in Florida drew national attention.
The task force had 30 warrants for convicted sex offenders who had allegedly failed to properly register their addresses.
The task force was also looking for 26-year-old Munoz. Authorities had previously convicted him of possessing child pornography, and he had reportedly stopped reporting to his parole officer.
U.S. Marshals Assistant Chief James Tapp expressed relief that none of the officers' firearms accidentally discharged during the sudden fall.
Had a weapon fired as the group crashed through the deck, the incident could have had far more serious consequences.
"The fact that they hit the ground in two seconds and there was no accidental discharge of any firearms — that shows the training and discipline of the task force officers and deputies that were involved," Tapp said.
Munoz was not at the property when authorities arrived. However, he later surrendered to law enforcement after the incident.
