FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Video shows a man experiencing a mental health crisis holding his brother at gunpoint before he was fatally shot by Fort Lauderdale police officers, according to a department news release.
The Dec. 11 incident began when police responded to multiple calls from family members reporting that a man was in crisis and armed with a gun inside a home with relatives, including an infant.
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When officers arrived, they spoke with the man’s family, who reiterated that he was armed and also stated that he was suicidal.
The man then came out of the home holding his brother at gunpoint, video shows. Officers attempted to de-escalate the situation, repeatedly commanding the man to drop the weapon.
The man ignored the commands and continued to threaten his brother and others present, prompting three officers to fire their weapons.
The man fell to the ground after being struck several times. Officers administered life-saving aid until Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue arrived and transported him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The man’s brother was unharmed in the incident.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is leading the investigation, which remains ongoing, according to the report. The officers involved have been placed on administrative leave with pay, standard protocol after such incidents.
