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Former Eatonville cop called hero after Pulse shooting denied disability benefits

Even though former Eatonville Police Corporal Omar Delgado suffers from PTSD as a result of the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando, he has been denied disability pension benefits.
Credit: 10News Staff
Omar Delgado lost his job as a police officer due to his struggles with PTSD.

The former Eatonville police officer described as a hero for his efforts in responding to the 2016 Pulse Nightclub massacre in Orlando, Florida has been denied his disability pension benefits, despite comments from the town’s mayor that led him to believe otherwise.

Omar Delgado helped save lives and remained in the nightclub for hours after the shooting. He suffered from a severe case of PTSD as a result. He was later removed from street duty and lost his job in December 2017 because of the trauma.

However, he had hope that the Town of Eatonville’s pension board would approve disability benefits after Mayor Eddie Cole said in a December press conference that Delgado would receive his full pension benefits.

“Despite Corporal Delgado's suffering of PTSD as a result of the shooting, the Town of Eatonville claimed that the records and reports that its Board of Trustees reviewed ‘failed to establish by the greater weight of the evidence that Omar Delgado is permanently unable to render useful and efficient services as a police officer with the Town of Eatonville due to a medically determinable mental impairment,’” attorney Wayne Pollock said in a statement released Thursday.

Delgado said he went through months of psychological evaluations and doctor’s appointments before the board made a decision. He said constant assessments were like making him relive the night of the shooting all over again.

“I sometimes ask myself, ‘why me? Why did this happen?” Delgado said during a previous interview with 10News.

In a letter, the town of Eatonville wrote that if Delgado wants a full hearing on the matter, he or his attorney must notify the trustees in writing.

It is unclear at the moment if Delgado will appeal the decision.

Emerald Morrow is a reporter with 10News WTSP. Like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter. You can also email her at emorrow@wtsp.com.

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