ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – The Orange County Sheriff’s Office released bodycam footage on Wednesday that shows deputies shooting a man who they say ran away from them while holding a gun.
The shooting happened around 1 a.m. on July 5 as the deputies were assisting with a traffic detail near the intersection of Orlando Central Parkway and Presidents Drive.
According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, three deputies ran after 18-year-old Giovanny Melendez Torres. After catching up with the suspect and taking him to the ground, the first deputy can be heard in the video asking, “Is that a gun?” before the second deputy responded with, “Yes”. Both deputies then opened fire on Melendez Torres.
As deputies rendered first aid to the suspect, they were able to recover his weapon. He was taken to the hospital with critical injuries, the sheriff’s office said.
Melendez Torres is charged with aggravated assault with a firearm on a law enforcement officer.
The two deputies who opened fire were not injured and were placed on paid administrative leave pending a Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation.