ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The Orange County Sheriff’s Office released videos of two separate deputy-involved shooting that happened on the same day.
Both shootings happened on June 7 just five miles apart.
One of the shootings involved a suspect repeatedly punching a deputy. The other was fatal.
A law enforcement training expert says the deputies in both situations acted as any officer would. He also said it highlights the need for more mental health training for field officers.
The first shooing happened just before 8 a.m. that day. An Orange County deputy was called out to the Save Discount Store one North Hiawassee for a suspicious person. Security video shows the suspect, Charles St. Fleur, climbing the fence, grabbing a backpack then taking off running. The deputy’s body camera shows him grabbing the suspect.
The video shows the two fight and St. Fleur throwing punches. The deputy falls to the ground while the suspect continues to punch the deputy.
During the scuffle, two items, later found to be handguns, fell out of the backpack. The video shows St. Fleur throwing one over the fence. He picks up the second, pauses then throws it over the fence.
As he’s running off, the deputy shoots his gun.
Law enforcement training expert Randy Nelson says the deputy had a fraction of a second to decide how to act, not knowing what St. Fleur was going to do.
“They’d just been in a physical altercation, which the officer is on the other side of that. And he sees someone running towards a weapon, but as I said, it appears the suspect was trying to get rid of the weapon. But once again, that’s a fraction of a second. Just as quick as he was throwing, he could have also used the weapon,” said Nelson.
St. Fleur is still recovering from the shooting and facing aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer charges.
The second shooting, which was fatal, involved a man suffering from schizophrenia. Deputies were seen getting to the home on Ortman drive. The victim’s father told deputies he’s been off his medication and had a knife.
Deputies spent five minutes trying to get Terry Washington Jr., who went by TJ, out of his room. Moments later, he walks to the door then charges at a deputy with a knife in his hand.
Nelson said deputies had no choice but to shoot.
“There was no other option. None,” said Nelson.
Nelson added that agencies need to do better and finding ways to intervene in situations involving mental health, like looking at what can be done before things escalate.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office says they get about 8,000 calls per year for people suffering from mental health.
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