GIFFORD — A West Vero Beach man who stole his mother’s vehicle to purchase drugs was shot several times after he reached into his waistband and charged at deputies during a traffic stop late Wednesday, sheriff’s officials said. The 48-year-old man was taken by ambulance to Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead, according to Sheriff Eric Flowers.
Flowers said the ordeal was a terrible tragedy. The sheriff described the incident as a “suicide-by-cop.”
PHOTO BY NICK SAMUEL
“I’ve seen the video personally from our Real Time Crime Center. The crime center was watching (body camera footage) as it happened,” Flowers said during a news conference from the crime scene. “He may have been on drugs. We don’t know what his mental state was. When he became non-compliant and started making those motions, our deputies did what they had to do.”
Two deputies fired shots at the man during the traffic stop, Flowers said. The names of the deputies, along with the man, were not publicly released.
The deputies were placed on paid administrative leave, which is routine for deputy-involved shootings, pending the outcome of the investigation, Flowers said. It was not immediately clear if the man had a weapon.
A passenger in the vehicle, another man, was not hurt, according to sheriff’s officials.
The incident unfolded about 10 a.m. when the man’s mother initially allowed him to use her vehicle. Details on the make and model of the vehicle were not immediately available.
“The suspect lived with his mother. He advised his mom he was headed to buy some Oxin…to get an illegal narcotic that helps folks who are withdrawing from drugs,” Flowers said. Then, at about noon, the man’s mother…frustrated…called deputies.
“She said her vehicle had not been returned. She made the decision around noon that she was not going to report the car stolen,” Flowers said. The mother called deputies again at 4 p.m.
“She said ‘I’m done. My son takes advantage of me. He has a drug problem. I want to report the vehicle stolen,'” Flowers said.
Deputies entered the information on the stolen vehicle into the Flock Safety license plate reader system. Flowers said the vehicle traveled east and had been circling Gifford, which is the area deputies think the man planned to buy drugs.
Deputies spotted the vehicle about 8 p.m. traveling in Gifford and conducted a traffic stop. The driver pulled over along 38th Place between 17th and 19th avenues, just east of U.S. 1.
A deputy ordered the man to get on his knees and the man complied. The deputy then demanded to see the man’s hands.
Flowers said it was at this moment when the man became non-compliant and started making motions as if he were pulling out a weapon.
“Our deputy gave the man commands. At one point (the deputy) fired a round. At that point, the suspect got up, started making more movements and reaching into his pockets,” Flowers said. “The deputy (began) retreating, trying to take cover and the suspect came charging at the deputy.”
Flowers said the deputy continued to fire toward the man as the man continued to reach into his waistband.
“The gunshots stopped (the man) as our deputy was retreating,” Flowers said.
Deputies placed Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital on a brief lockdown when the man was brought to the hospital. Flowers said deputies were speaking with the unidentified passenger at the sheriff’s office.
The relationship between the man and the passenger was not immediately known.
“Our team is investigating this incident. We’ve been in contact with the state attorney’s office and the medical examiner’s office,” Flowers said. “We will look into this. We will do a thorough investigation.”
The shooting prompted the response of at least 20 deputies. Yellow crime scene tape could be seen wrapped around trees as deputies blocked off a portion of 38th Place to comb for evidence and speak with witnesses.
Flowers said the body-camera footage will be released to the public, but it was unclear when.
One deputy who fired shots has been employed at the sheriff’s office since Dec. 2024 and has six years of experience at another law enforcement agency. The other deputy has been with the sheriff’s office since Nov. 2021.
Flowers said the deadly shooting case will go to a grand jury. The sheriff’s office will conduct a criminal investigation followed by an internal investigation.
Flowers commended deputies for their quick-thinking. Deputies will stay at the crime scene overnight.
“Our deputies did an amazing job. We’re happy our heroes are going home tonight,” Flowers said. “This is another example of our folks who are out here every day protecting our community, doing exactly what they signed up to do.”
Photos by Joshua Kodis
