Dr. David Ciesla: The “Bullet Burgler” is Apprehended « Vitals Spotlight

August 20th, 2009

Dr. David Ciesla: The “Bullet Burgler” is Apprehended

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Dr. David Ciesla

Dr. David Ciesla thought he was faster than a speeding bullet, but the bullet beat him in the end. This prominent surgeon confessed to authorities that he’d absconded with a bullet removed from a police suspect during surgery. He is said to have claimed it was a souvenir.

Ciesla, the head of trauma at Tampa General Hospital, is considered an extremely talented surgeon who serves as division director for Trauma/Critical Care and trains Special Operations Command medics preparing them for service in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to Vitals.com, Ciesla completed his medical degree and surgery residency at the University of Colorado Medical School.

In talking about his work for trauma surgery he has said:

“I think it’s the greatest job in the world. There is something satisfying about taking a critically injured patient and saving their life, or saving a limb or preventing what could become a possibly morbid situation and getting a patient back to where they were pre-injury.”

Nowhere is there any indication that collecting souvenirs during surgery is part of his satisfaction. So what was he thinking? No one knows, since Ciesla isn’t talking.

All that is known is on April 21st a suspect was shot in the shoulder and buttocks after he drew a gun when agents apprehended him. The two Florida Law Enforcement agents waited four hours in the TGH operating room expecting to depart with the two bullets Ciesla was removing.

(jonathanturley.files.wordpress)

Surgery resident, Sergio Alvarez was on hand assisting. He witnessed Ciesla removing a bullet from the suspect’s liver declaring, “There it is,” and looking Alverez straight in the eye said, “You didn’t see a bullet.”

Taken aback, Alvarez watched silently as the doctor hid the bullet in his surgical glove commenting, “This is what we do with bullets.”

After scrubbing out, Ciesla then glibly told the agents that the two .40-caliber projectiles would have to remain inside the suspect. Alverez refused to take the bullet for his superior and turned the doctor in. Confronted by hospital supervisors, Ciesla handed over the evidence and then immediately retained a lawyer.

The befuddled University states that Ciesla regrets his conduct and apologizes for his error. For law enforcement the consequences are clear cut, he was charged with a misdemeanor for giving false statements to law enforcement and obstructing an officer without violence. His sentence is community service and two years probation.

The University is having a harder time classifying his conduct, because nothing like this has ever happened before. They have stated their intention of implementing corrective action, but are scratching their heads over finding a suitable punishment for this inconceivable crime.