DELAND, Fla. — The Volusia Sheriff’s Office released body camera video showing a deadly deputy-involved shooting after a search for a reckless driving suspect in DeLand.
Deputies said 29-year-old Brandon Brabin was shot and killed in a Walmart parking lot on Woodland Boulevard after investigators said he drove recklessly through downtown DeLand earlier in the day.
The shooting happened about six hours after DeLand police said Brabin was driving with no headlights on, running red lights and nearly hitting several people.
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said deputies and other law enforcement officers were searching for Brabin after his vehicle was detected by license plate readers in several areas.
“Deputies are looking, everyone’s looking and following because he’s hitting all the tag readers all around,” Chitwood said.
Deputies eventually found Brabin in the Walmart parking lot.
Body camera video from the deputy who fired the shot shows the deputy getting out of his patrol vehicle, walking toward the front of Brabin’s car and firing one shot through the windshield as the vehicle moved forward.
Brabin was killed.
Channel 9 asked Chitwood whether the deputy’s actions followed standard training.
“Nothing good happens when you put yourself in front of a car,” Chitwood said. “It just doesn’t, and that’s why we authorize the use of your vehicle to block somebody in or disable it to prevent somebody from being killed or prevent something bad from happening.”
Chitwood said deputies are trained on two tactics that could have been used to stop the vehicle: a PIT maneuver and a vehicle containment technique.
“The only two times you’re allowed to crash and we got your back is the PIT maneuver and the VCT maneuver,” Chitwood said. “I don’t know why they didn’t execute that. We don’t have the answer to any of that yet. That’s what all this has to flush out.”
The deputy who fired the shot has been placed on leave, which is standard in deputy-involved shooting investigations.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the shooting.
The Volusia Sheriff’s Office will also conduct a separate internal investigation.
Authorities said alcohol was found in Brabin’s car. No weapon was found in the vehicle.
Brabin had a criminal history in Lake County and Tennessee, according to investigators.
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