GIFFORD, Fla. — A community is still looking for answers after a deputy-involved shooting in Indian River County back in June.
A local civil rights leader is calling for an independent inquiry into what happened that night in Gifford.
"When I saw the video in his office, I immediately said to the sheriff, bad shoot," said Tony Brown, the president of the Indian River County NAACP.
Brown is talking about body camera video released to the public.
In it, more than 40 shots are fired into the dark at a fleeing suspect, who, according to the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office, had a stolen gun in his possession.
WATCH: Body camera footage of deputy-involved shooting in Indian River County
"Gifford is a walking neighborhood," Brown said.
Brown feels the deputies' actions put people in his community at risk.
"Basic mode of transportation is bicycles and walking. That time of night on Friday night, people are moving all over the place," Brown said.
Earlier this month, Brown sent a letter to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, asking them to conduct an independent investigation.
"Not to destroy anybody, but say, there was a wrong committed," Brown said.
"Not offended in any way whatsoever. Tony Brown and I have had a great relationship," said Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers. "Our folks aren’t randomly picking people out there. We’re doing investigations, we’re following up, we’re working these active burglaries."
Flowers said his deputies knew they were out investigating some dangerous individuals and were doing their jobs and did not act recklessly.
"This particular incident, I don’t think all facts out there. I think at conclusion, at end of investigation, at end of state attorney review, they’ll find our folks did their job," Flowers said.
The shooting sent one man to the hospital, Jamall Frederick, who currently faces charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and resisting an officer with violence.
WPTV reached out to the FDLE for a comment, but has not heard back.
