Towanna Ruffin, the mother of Andrew Coffee IV, with a forceful defense of her son tonight, after he was charged with the death of Alteria Woods.
“She didn't deserve to die, she did deserve justice, but not with my baby being held accountable for her death,” she says.
A grand jury jury charged Coffee, and not deputies, with Woods' death during a swat raid in March.
Investigators says when they approached, Coffee fired first, forcing the swat team to fire back.
Alteria was caught in the middle.
“Whatever my son did wrong, he could've paid for whatever did wrong. Go in and get him the right way. You don't go in and shoot up his whole family. There were 7 other people in there!”
The grand jury indicted Coffee on 2nd degree murder charges, even though none of his bullets hit the 21-year -old.
Ruffin maintains deputies shot first, but Sheriff Deryl Loar says that's not the case.
“Coffee IV's decision to attempt to ambush and murder law enforcement ultimately caused the death of Alteria Woods,” he says.
Speaking on camera for the first time since the grand jury's decision, Sheriff Loar says he believes justice has been served.
“Unfortunately, a career criminal with a violent past initiated this entire event,” the sheriff says.
Towanna says that's not the case.
“He know my baby didn't kill her, all of Gifford knows he didn't kill her, everybody knows she wasn't held up as a body shield.”
Sheriff Loar tonight asking for unity.
“I think the time for healing is now,” he says. “I think the confidence that the community has in the Indian River County Sheriff's Office is very high.”
Coffee's mother, meanwhile, is asking for more transparency.
“If Indian River County don't have anything to hide, let's do a fair trial, let's do a outside investigation,” she says.
Andrew Coffee IV is set to appear in court Friday at 8:30 a.m.
