Critical Incident-Saturday, June 7, 2025 N. Hiawassee Road

**WARNING: THIS VIDEO CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES AND LANGUAGE. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.**

As part of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office’s commitment to transparency, it is our policy to release body-worn camera video of critical incidents, including deputy-involved shootings. We believe it is important for our community to have access to the full context of these incidents, rather than rely on short snippets they may see elsewhere.

On June 7, 2025, an OCSO deputy on patrol initiated a check in with a suspicious person behind the Save Discount Store at 2793 N. Hiawassee Rd. The deputy approached the man to ask what he was doing in a fenced-in area behind the store. The man jumped the fence as if he was going to speak to the deputy but instead, grabbed a bag from the ground and started to flee.

The deputy grabbed the man in an attempt to detain him, and at that point, the man started to fight with the deputy, punching him repeatedly, and the man forced the deputy to the ground, where he punched the deputy in the head at least 10 additional times while he was on the ground.

During the fight, two objects, later determined to be firearms, were flung from the area and were in proximity to the fight. The fight lasted for one minute and sixteen seconds, and when the suspect got off the deputy, he ran toward the firearms. That’s when the deputy was able to get to his feet and fire his service weapon, striking the man.

Deputies rendered aid until paramedics were able to get to the scene and transport the man to the hospital, where he was last reported to be in stable condition. The deputy who fired his service weapon was also transported to the hospital for head injuries and is doing well.

The video is being released pursuant to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office Release of Video Recordings in Critical Incidents policy. The investigation into the shooting is still under way.