A police officer in Sydney, Australia has pleaded guilty to “carrying a firearm with disregard” for a colleague’s safety after he threatened to shoot another police officer who said he would reveal spoilers from Tom Cruise’s blockbuster sequel “Top Gun: Maverick,” the Australian Broadcasting Company reports. According to court documents, 30-year-old cop Dominic Gaynor took out his gun and pointed it “in the vicinity” of fellow officer Morgan Royston after Royston threatened to spoil the film. Royston had seen “Top Gun: Maverick” the day prior.
The court documents reveal that Royston told Gaynor, “I’ll spoil it for you.” Gaynor responded by telling Royston, “Don’t spoil the movie” and “I’ll shoot you.” He proceeded to take his glock out of his holster and “held it stationary for five seconds” while pointing it at Royston. Gaynor was allegedly laughing during the incident, and his “finger was on the receiver and not the trigger.” His lawyer described the incident as “a case where the skylarking and tomfoolery in an employment context has gone awry.”
The Australian Broadcasting Company reports that Royston revealed in court on Nov. 9 that he fell into a depression following the incident. He said that while it was common for police officers to “share jokes and tease each other,” this incident was on a different level and left him with an “overwhelming shock and fear” feeling.
“I have completely lost the trust I had and my admiration for the NSW Police Force,” he said. “When I see a police officer now, I feel compelled to watch them and check their hand is not on their firearm.”
Gaynor’s lawyer said his client made an awful mistake and that a conviction would “definitely see him removed from the police force.” The lawyer added, “This is going to cost him dearly.” Gaynor was given a community correction order for two years, 100 hours of community service and a recorded conviction.
“Top Gun: Maverick,” sequel to the 1986 movie “Top Gun,” opened in theaters in May 2022 and became a box office powerhouse with $1.4 billion in worldwide ticket sales. The movie ranks as the 11th highest-grossing movie in box office history (unadjusted for inflation). It earned six Academy Award nominations, including best picture.
