GIFFORD – The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office (IRCSO) reported a deputy-involved shooting that occurred on Wednesday evening in the Gifford area, resulting in the death of a 48-year-old man driving a stolen vehicle.
Sheriff Eric Flowers provided details during a press conference, noting that the investigation is in its early stages. He described the incident as a possible “suicide by cop” situation based on body camera and dashcam footage reviewed at the IRCSO’s Real-Time Crime Center, which monitored the event live.
“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. “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.”
No weapon has been recovered from the suspect at this time, but the investigation is ongoing. The sheriff is releasing the video to the public after review by the State Attorney’s Office. The IRCSO is working with the State Attorney’s Office and the Medical Examiner’s Office to conduct a thorough investigation.
Stolen Vehicle Incident
The vehicle was reported stolen around 4:00 p.m. and was linked to the son of the vehicle’s owner. The mother reported the theft after her son, who had borrowed the car, failed to return it.
She informed deputies that her son had a drug problem and had mentioned purchasing Suboxone, an illegal narcotic, earlier that morning. The vehicle was entered into the county’s license plate reader system, which tracked it circling the Gifford area, consistent with suspected drug activity.
At approximately 8:12 p.m., deputies conducted a felony traffic stop on the vehicle. The driver, who was the son of the vehicle’s owner, at first followed orders to show his hands and kneel. But then he stopped listening, reaching into his waistband and moving like he was pulling out a weapon, even though he was told multiple times to keep his hands visible.
A deputy fired a round, but the suspect continued to reach into his pockets and waistband, charging at the deputy, who was retreating and seeking cover. The deputy continued firing until the suspect was stopped.
The driver was transported to Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital, which was briefly placed on lockdown, but he succumbed to his injuries.
A passenger in the vehicle was unharmed and is being interviewed by detectives.
Significant Criminal History
Preliminary information suggests the passenger knew the driver casually, but their exact relationship is unclear. The driver had a significant criminal history, including 23 felony arrests and eight felony convictions, primarily drug-related. The passenger also has a criminal record, though specific details were not provided.
One of the deputies has been with IRCSO since November 2021, while the other, who joined in December 2024, has six years of prior law enforcement experience. Both are on paid administrative leave pending the investigation, which will be reviewed by the State Attorney’s Office and presented to a grand jury.
Further details, including the identities of those involved, will be released as the investigation progresses.
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