ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A group of community activists headed to the Orange County commissioners meeting on Tuesday. They spoke out on behalf of Luis Lopez, a 26-year-old man killed by Orange County sheriff’s deputies back in February. “These officers need to be fired; they need to be charged for their wrongdoing,” said Jacob Muldoon with Orlando Against Police Crimes, a grassroots organization founded earlier in 2025.
They also showed up to call attention to the death of 32-year-old Tyrone Bartley, killed just months after Luis Lopez, also by Orange County Deputies. “These are two innocent men who were killed inside their own houses by Orange County sheriff deputies, and we have really gotten no answers,” Muldoon said.
Body camera video released weeks after Luiz Lopez’s death shows the moment when deputies arrived at his home. Orders to ‘drop the knife’ could be heard in the recording. “The deputies gave several commands to the man to drop the knife, and deputies discharged their service weapon,” said Undersheriff Mark Canty moments after the shooting.
Later, however, after a review from the Sheriff’s Office, investigators learned no knife was found on the scene. “We need a citizen review board with the power to fully investigate discipline and terminate problem police officers,” said one of the advocates before County Commissioners. “When they [deputies] opened the door, he [Tyrone Bartley] was just startled. Just take a look at the video, hear him yell, and officers yell,” said Jessie Baskin, a friend of Tyron Bartley’s. “Then he was shot five times. Just compassion, that’s all I’m asking for.”
The group now wants county leaders to hold off on funds that would be allocated to the sheriff’s office while they still have no answers. “This body does not have the authority to investigate police or law enforcement shootings,” said Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings. “They are investigated by either the Florida Department of Law Enforcement or the State Attorneys here in Florida.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office cannot make any comments while both cases remain under investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. FDLE says the case remains under investigation and had no updates so far. “I’m African American, so I am not familiar with justice,” said Keneth Smith, who went to college with Tyrone Bartley. “I’m here to ask for compassion from the community and from county leaders.”
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