Video: Fla. Deputy Takes Down Suspect in Violent 'Fight for His Life'
An Orange County sheriff's deputy was punched in the face 20 times by a suspect who brutally attacked the deputy while trying to grab two guns that had fallen out of a bag.
An Orange County sheriff's deputy shot a suspect during a violent struggle behind a Pine Hills store when the man attacked the deputy and tried to grab guns from his bag.
The deputy was punched roughly 20 times in the face during the 76-second altercation before he used deadly force to stop the suspect.
The man is in stable condition and faces charges of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer.
Body camera footage captured a brutal struggle earlier this month between a Florida deputy and a suspect who punched the deputy 20 times and tried to reach for guns inside a bag.
The incident happened at around 8 a.m. June 7 when an Orange County sheriff's deputy spotted a suspicious man in a fenced-in area behind a Pine Hills Save Discount Store, Sheriff John Mina said in a news conference. The deputy helped the man over the fence and asked him what he was doing.
That's when the suspect grabbed his bag and tried to flee. When the deputy tried to make an arrest, the suspect began punching the deputy in the face, said Mina.
The attack knocked the deputy onto the ground, and the suspect continued his barrage. As the two fought, two firearms fell out of the man's bag.
When an Orange County sheriff's deputy tried to arrest a man "behaving suspiciously" behind a Pine Hills store, a life-and-death struggle erupted that ended when the deputy shot the suspect.
The struggle continued for just over a minute as the deputy was “in a fight for his life,” according to Mina. As the battle continued, the deputy was struck roughly 20 times in the face.
“This is an extremely long time to be in a fight, especially if you’re being punched in the face,” said the sheriff.
Finally, the suspect went for his guns on the ground, and the deputy was able to draw his weapon and open fire. The man was struck by the gunfire and rushed to the hospital in stable condition.
The deputy head injuries and is recovering, according to PoliceActivity.
Joining Endeavor Business Media in 2018, Joe has worked on the company's city services publications. He began working at OFFICER.com as the assistant editor. Before starting at Endeavor, Joe had worked for a variety of print and online news outlets, including the Indianapolis Star, the South Bend Tribune, Reddit and Patch.com.
