Volusia Sheriff: "100%" Behind Deputy Involved In Fatal Shooting

Posted

UPDATE (08-04-18): VCSO has released the body camera footage related to this incident.

The man who died is Emmanuel Alquisiras (shirtless man to left of pic). The deputy involved is Brandon Watson, who was hired by VCSO in May 2015.

WARNING: Explicit language used in the video. Faces of victims involved were blurred by VCSO prior to release. Actual shooting takes place at 8:50 mark.

Earlier reporting below.

Seville, FL - A deputy with the Volusia County Sheriff's Office is now on paid administrative leave as the Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigates his involvement in a fatal shooting last night.

It happened during a domestic violence call at a home on U.S. 17 in Seville around 7:40 p.m., according to VCSO spokesperson Andrew Gant.

"[The deputy] shot and killed a suspect who grabbed the deputy’s Taser during a struggle and ignored repeated warnings to surrender," Gant added. "The deputy involved in the incident was not injured."

VCSO has not released the identity of the deputy, nor the name of the 29-year-old man who died at the scene, but did say the deputy's body camera recorded what happened.

On his Facebook page, Sheriff Mike Chitwood says he's since reviewed that footage and he's standing behind his deputy.

Gant says it all started when VCSO got a report of an "ongoing domestic disturbance" between the man who died and his girlfriend.

"On arrival, the deputy spent several minutes speaking with the suspect and a friend on an outdoor stairway," Gant noted. "Both were uncooperative. Eventually, when the suspect’s girlfriend came out and spoke to the deputy, the suspect grabbed her and engaged in a struggle with her at the top of the stairs."

That's when the deputy used his Taser on the man who died and ordered him to put his arms behind his back, which the suspect refused to do, per Gant.

"The suspect struggled with the deputy for several minutes," Gant stated. "During the struggle, the suspect grabbed the deputy’s Taser, and the Taser was discharged. [That's when] the deputy fired multiple shots at the suspect, resulting in the suspect’s death."

The deputy being placed on paid administrative leave is standard in these types of investigations.

featured