Orange County is reeling from a recent confrontation that turned deadly when a deputy shot 19-year-old Tristan James Robert Mayberry inside a 7-Eleven store, as confirmed by the Orange County Sheriff's Office. The incident, which occurred on West Oak Ridge Road, unfolded after sheriff's deputies were monitoring a home deemed a hub for gang activities, as reported by WESH. According to the sheriff's office, Mayberry, who was suspected to be a gang member, was seen leaving the said house with a gun which resulted in a deadly sequence, deputies followed him to the convenience store where they attempted to engage.
The encounter escalated quickly once inside the establishment, Sheriff John Mina detailed the events during a news conference, "Once inside the 7-Eleven, our deputies attempted to make contact with the man. He turned away, then turned back toward the deputy, appeared to reach for a handgun. He was told to stop multiple times. That’s when our deputy shot the man," and the subsequent scuffle for the weapon resulted in Mayberry being shot again, as detailed by ClickOrlando. Despite efforts by deputies to administer first aid, Mayberry succumbed to his injuries and was declared deceased at the scene.
In the aftermath, details continue to emerge, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement took over the investigation while the sheriff's office pledged to conduct an internal review after the state's findings, that no deputies were injured during the altercation. The deputy involved has been placed on leave per protocol. Sheriff Mina, underscoring the gravity of the event, mentioned that Mayberry did not fire any shots during the confrontation and the involved deputy had been put on leave reflective of the ongoing investigation.
The sheriff’s office has also announced that body-camera footage from the incident will be released within 30 days, providing transparency to the public.
