Salaythis Melvin shot and killed by Orange County Sheriff deputy outside Dick’s Sporting Goods at Florida Mall in Orlando.
A lonely man reacts to another shooting by police in Orlando, Florida.
Orange County Sheriff’s Office Agent James Montiel opened fire on Salaythis Melvin on Aug. 7 outside the Florida Mall as the 22-year-old was running away, previously released body camera video shows.
The sheriff said the incident began when deputies tried to approach a group of four individuals outside Dick’s Sporting Goods because one of the men had an active warrant for his arrest and was also a person of interest in a triple shooting that occurred in Pine Hills in July.
That warrant was not for Melvin and deputies did not know who he was, even asking his name in the body camera video.
When deputies approached, the 22-year-old ran away and toward Montiel, according to the deputy’s account, who got out of his unmarked vehicle and saw Melvin holding a stolen Glock handgun. Deputies did not know the weapon was stolen until after the shooting, according to the attorneys for Melvin’s family.
Melvin died of a single gunshot wound to the back, according to the Sheriff’s Office. He was running away from the deputy when he was shot, the video shows.
Protesters rallied for answers in the death of Salaythis Melvin and the family plan to sue the Sheriff’s Office and are demanding policy changes.
The shooting is under Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation. And Orange County Sheriff John Mina said the Sheriff’s Office is waiting for the FDLE investigation to be complete before making any decisions about the deputy involved.
Justice for Salaythis Melvin petition
