An investigation has been initiated following a fatal officer-involved shooting in Orlando, where police killed a man reported to have been brandishing a "simulated” firearm. The incident occurred yesterday at an apartment complex located on Cason Cove Drive.
The Orlando Police Department reported that they responded to 911 calls around 5:45 p.m. concerning a man with a gun at a 7-Eleven on Conroy Road and nearby businesses. According to Chief Eric Smith, the man, who was Hispanic and roughly 25 years old, was shot by five officers after he failed to obey their commands to drop the weapon, which turned out to be a simulated gun resembling a Glock handgun. Local authorities were to quickly determine the exact nature of the threat, leading to the fatal shooting.
In a news conference, reported by WFTV, Smith described the sequential events that involved the man entering a dry cleaners and then a 7-Eleven, brandishing the simulated gun, before proceeding to a strip mall parking lot. Afterwards, the encounter with police in the Bella Vita Apartments' parking lot ensued. "It’s a split-second decision when you see a gun pointed in your direction," Smith explained regarding the officers' need to react to the perceived threat rapidly.
Additional details provided by ClickOrlando indicated the involved officers are on administrative leave, and a criminal history of the deceased, which included miscellaneous drug and traffic charges, as well as charges of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon and possession of cocaine, was noted by investigators. "It's a very dangerous situation," Smith said, affirming the peril officers faced, necessitating that they make a quick judgment.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement will lead the investigation, as is standard protocol after such incidents. The identity of the man shot has not yet been released, and it remains unclear whether the officers involved were wearing body cameras or if footage from the incident will become publicly available.
