TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Newly-released video from the February shooting of a Titusville man by police gives a more complete view of the officer response that led to the man’s death.
Police released an unedited version of the body-camera footage from the night police shot Tri-marea Charles, 25. A version of this video was released last month, narrated by Police Chief John Lau.
A second video, taken from a Titusville police vehicle’s dash camera, showed Charles running from police and two officers firing their guns.
Last month, the state attorney’s office cleared the officers involved in the case, saying the shooting was justified.
Police were responding to a call about a shooting at a home on South Robbins Avenue on Feb. 7, 2025.
[WATCH: Titusville police body-camera video. WARNING: May be disturbing. Viewer discretion advised]
The unedited video shows police walking up to the house and talking to people at the house. A man identified as Charles is seen tripping as he tries to leave the house, and dropping what appears to be a gun.
The officer is heard shouting that the man has a gun. Police say Charles pushed the officer and threw a punch before picking up the gun and running away.
The video also shows that Charles was alive after being shot. He can be heard saying, “I’m dead” multiple times to officers.
The second video gives a side view of the police shooting. A man identified as Charles is seen weaving around one officer and then running across the screen. That officer fires his gun. A second officer comes across the screen firing his weapon, and three officers are seen running across the screen in the background.
[WATCH: Titusville police dashcam video. WARNING: May be disturbing. Viewer discretion advised]
Charles’ family and community members demanded for months to see the police footage, led by his mother, Samantha Charles.
“I never said my son was right or wrong. I just wanna see the truth,” she said last month.
Charles was shot 10 times, according to the medical examiner.
The FDLE investigation showed one officer discharged his gun 16 times, while the other fired three times.
[READ the state attorney’s office’s full letter below.]
In her most recent statement, Samantha Charles maintained that her son was murdered.
For the past several months, I have been on a painful journey seeking closure following the tragic loss of my firstborn, Tri-Marea Charles. While no amount of time can heal the agony of losing a child, my focus throughout this process has been to uncover the truth.
What I have learned is heart-wrenching. My son was shot in the back multiple times, excessively, while fleeing from officers. This disturbing revelation only leads me to one unavoidable conclusion: My son was murdered.
Despite video evidence showing that four officers chased my son, I have been presented with only two versions of the events that unfolded that night. This, in my belief, suggests there are at least eight additional videos that have yet to be made public, footage that could shed light on the full story. The lack of transparency, coupled with the city’s failure to honor its own policies, leaves me in a state of disbelief and deep sorrow.
I am not the only parent to face such a heartache in Titusville. The lack of accountability, respect, and dignity from our local government is a systemic issue that has left many in our community feeling powerless.
I am calling upon the community to take a stand. We cannot allow this to continue. I urge all who have lost faith in our local government to contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation at 1-800-225-5324 and to reach out to lawmakers to support legislation that mandates the release of body camera and surveillance footage within 30 days of an incident. No other family should endure the trauma of being denied the truth.
It’s time to demand accountability, for my son and for every family that has been denied the right to mourn in peace.
Samantha Charles