Two Florida deputies cleared of wrongdoing in shooting of man captured on video

Two deputies from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office in North Florida were cleared of any wrongdoing in a shooting that left a man injured last year.

Last week, the State Attorney’s Office serving Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties released video of the Oct. 27 incident and a memo stating the shooting was justified.

In the shooting, Demetric Carter was wounded after deputies Pat Roberts and Crista Pope were forced to open fire.

“Had Carter responded to the commands of the deputies to go to the ground, the deputies could have easily removed the firearm with little danger,” Assistant State Attorney John Molchan wrote in the memo. “In this case, Carter refused to abide by any orders and was actively defiant.”

The video shows Carter being confronted by Roberts after Carter walked into a nearby bank and told the teller to call police.

Roberts spotted a gun in Carter’s waistband, according to the memo. He can be heard on the video telling Carter that he will use his Taser if he doesn’t get to the ground.

As Roberts deployed his Taser, Carter pulled out his gun and began shooting, according to the memo.

The video showed Roberts getting his own gun and firing at Carter. The clip captured blood splattering as Carter is hit.

Pope also opened fire.

Molchan said in the memo that “the use of deadly force by Deputies Roberts and Pope was reasonable and justifiable and no criminal charges are appropriate.”

This story was originally published January 10, 2018 at 11:13 PM with the headline "Two Florida deputies cleared of wrongdoing in shooting of man captured on video."