*Warning video footage is graphic.
Video of the officer-involved shooting of a man who was reported for suspicious behavior in a Florida bank back in the Fall has been released to the public on the heels of the officers involved being cleared of any wrongdoing.
The incident happened this past October in Pensacola. Police caught up with Demetric Denario Carter outside of an abandoned building on Commerce Street following reports of an aggressive man walking into Warrington Bank and speaking to the teller in a threatening manner. The dash cam of deputy Patrick Roberts' cruiser captured the entire interaction he had with Carter.
With his gun pointing at him, Roberts insisted several times that Carter get on his knees. While Carter kept his arms up over his head throughout the dispute, he refused to get down. Roberts also vocalized his observation of a gun in Carter's back pocket, but rather than comply with the deputy's orders, the 26-year-old suspect appeared to argue for the opportunity to take the gun out and pace it down. Roberts warned him not to go for the firearm.
Moments later a second police vehicle pulled up and more deputies were on the scene. They surrounded Carter with guns drawn. He appeared convinced that he could talk to the backup officers, but they simply took up position and waited for him to respond to Roberts. Finally, Roberts put his gun away and took a taser out. As he approached Carter with it, the suspect warned the deputy against using it on him, but Roberts proceeded to shock him anyway. Within a split second, Carter then went for his gun and pulled it out, before the surrounding deputies opened fire.
According to reports, Carter actually fired seven rounds in exchange with the deputies, but nobody was hit but him. He would be taken to a nearby hospital where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. He now faces three attempted murder charges and a charge for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
