Newly released body-worn camera video shows the tense moments before three Orange County Sheriff’s deputies fatally shot 59-year-old Rosalia Hodges outside her home in the Dr. Phillips neighborhood.
The footage, taken on June 3 on the 8200 block of Tivoli Drive, shows deputies confronting Hodges as she emerges from her home holding a large knife. In the short clip, deputies are heard repeatedly ordering her to drop the weapon while backing away, then opening fire when she does not comply, a release that was first reported by WESH.
What Police Say Happened
According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched around 1 p.m. after a neighbor called 911 to report a woman screaming in the street. When deputies knocked on the door at the Tivoli Drive home, Hodges came out holding a large knife and moved toward them despite commands to drop it, the agency told WFTV.
Three deputies then fired their service weapons. Officials say they immediately provided first aid until paramedics arrived, and Hodges was taken to a hospital, where she later died.
Sheriff John Mina said Hodges ignored commands and repeatedly shouted, “I’ll kill you,” as she continued to advance on deputies, according to a news conference covered by FOX 35. The three deputies who fired their weapons have been placed on paid administrative leave while the shooting is reviewed, which is standard procedure in such cases.
The sheriff’s office also said its records show Hodges had been Baker Acted in multiple Florida jurisdictions, a detail reported by the Orange Observer. The Baker Act is Florida’s involuntary mental health examination law, which governs how people believed to be a danger to themselves or others can be taken into emergency custody and evaluated, according to the state Department of Children and Families.
Legal Process And Next Steps
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is handling the primary investigation into the deputy-involved shooting. Once FDLE completes its work, it will send its findings to the State Attorney’s Office for review. The sheriff’s office says it will then carry out its own internal investigation into whether deputies followed agency policies, as outlined by WFTV.
No criminal charges have been announced while the state review remains open.
Neighbors in the Dr. Phillips area were the first to call 911 on June 3 after hearing screams outside, and the newly released bodycam video is likely to draw fresh scrutiny as the parallel investigations continue. Authorities say they will release more information once FDLE and the State Attorney’s Office have completed their work.
