Attorney Mark NeJame said the deputy who fired multiple rounds, killing Richardson, overreacted
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – The Orange County Sheriff’s Office release video Friday that captured the moment a deputy opened fire, killing 28-year-old Bryan Richardson.
Deputies said Richardson, and the man on the ground blurred out in the beginning of the video, 21-year-old Dylan Jimenez, are brothers.
Investigators said the two had an altercation with a third man outside of the Heritage Hotel off of South Orange Blossom Trail, and deputies said Jimenez and the man shot at each other, hitting each other, and that Richardson ran to his brother who was on the ground.
That’s when a person can be heard in the body camera video pointing out that Richardson had a gun.
When the body camera video was released, Sheriff John Mina also taped a video message, and in it he said Richardson was asked to drop the gun, but did not comply, and Mina said that’s when the deputy fired his weapon.
News 6 spoke with the attorney representing the family of Richardson and Jimenez, Mark NeJame, of NeJame Law, and he said while they are still waiting to finish their investigation of the shooting, he said the deputy who fired multiple rounds, killing Richardson, overreacted.
“The indication we’re getting is that he overreacted in the situation, but we want to be appropriately respectful and cautious on behalf of the family and also on behalf of all of those involved,” said NeJame.
NeJame said the video shows that there were eight shots fired by the deputy, when Richardson was not brandishing a firearm or aiming it at anyone. He also pointed out the female deputy seen in the video, and added she never pulled out her firearm, which would indicate she didn’t feel she was in danger.
“She was walking over to him so that he could follow the command of the other officer and drop it,” said NeJame.
News 6 asked the sheriff’s office if the female deputy was aware Richardson had a gun, and a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office said in an email, in part, “we are not able to answer any of your questions because the investigation is ongoing.”
We also asked for any other body camera video associated with the shooting, including the female deputy’s, and a spokesperson for OCSO said once it becomes available, it will be provided.
Source: clickorlando.com
