NewsTreasure CoastRegion Indian River County

Actions

NAACP in Indian River County reviews video of deputy-involved shooting in Gifford

'Somebody [has] to explain the numbers of shots because it was indiscriminate,' Tony Brown with the NAACP says
Posted at 5:10 PM, Jun 13, 2022
and last updated 2022-06-13 18:03:05-04

GIFFORD, Fla. — The Indian River County sheriff is still investigating a weekend shooting of a 19-year-old man by deputies.

Investigators are reviewing dash and body cam videos of the Saturday night incident. However, the NAACP has also viewed some of the videos as well.

The shooting happened near 45th Street and 30th Avenue in Gifford when a car was stopped after it was believed to be involved in a random gunfire incident earlier in the day.

Sheriff Eric Flowers said his deputies told individuals in the car not to touch a gun in the vehicle. However, they said a 19-year-old man did just that and tried to run away, resulting in deputies firing and injuring him.

Tony Brown, the head of the NAACP in Indian River County, reviewed some of the videos that recorded the incident. He said what he saw has him asking more questions.

"It was not definitive that he ever looked back or did anything, and the sheriff concurs," Brown said. "Somebody [has] to explain the numbers of shots because it was indiscriminate, and it posed a danger to our community."

Tony Brown, the head of the NAACP in Indian River County, discusses police-involved shooting that occurred June 11, 2022
Tony Brown discusses a police-involved shooting that occurred on June 11, 2022.

The 19-year-old man who was shot has a record and is on probation. He is still in the hospital and in stable condition.

Brown said he only saw two of about six videos of the shooting that exist.

The videos have not been released to the public.

Four deputies are currently on paid administrative leave.