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Brevard County career criminal killed after opening fire during pursuit, deputies say

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Fla. — A career criminal from Brevard County with more than 20 felony charges was shot and killed after exchanging gunfire with deputies Friday night, according to the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office.

The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office informed deputies in Indian River County about the man during a pursuit on I-95 around 9:18 p.m.

The man, who was considered armed and dangerous, was headed southbound on I-95 from Cocoa, deputies said.

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Investigators said the vehicle stopped at a rest area between Palm Bay and Sebastian and two passengers, including a 17-year-old, ran out of the vehicle before it took off again.

The vehicle struck spike sticks and the driver attempted to make a wide turn through the median around mile marker 152 and was blocked by a deputy from going northbound on I-95.

Deputies said the driver had an AR-15 and a handgun and fired several shots at a deputy in an unmarked vehicle during the pursuit.

At least two shot hit the vehicle, including one that struck a headrest, but incredibly, the deputy was not injured, officials said.

Officials said both the deputy in the unmarked patrol truck and a K-9 deputy exchanged gunfire with the suspecty, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Indian River County Sheriff Deryl Loar said in a news release, “We are proud of the actions of our deputies last night. Our dispatchers and aviation team did an outstanding job of providing our deputies on the ground with information they needed to make good split-second decisions, preventing this wanted subject from further endangering the public. One of the rounds fired by the fleeing felon struck the headrest of our deputy’s truck. Fortunately, he had just moved out of the way, escaping what would have likely been a fatal shot. Our entire team acted heroically and are to be commended for their efforts to protect our community.”

Officials said the unidentified man had active arrest warrants in Brevard County for violation of probation and drug charges.

Since 1996, he had been arrested more than 20 times for felony charges, including seven felony conventions and more than 10 misdemeanors, deputies said.

Pursuit ends with deputy involved shooting Media release: May 25, 2019 On Friday, May 24th, 2019 at approximately 9:18...

Posted by Indian River County Sheriff's Office on Saturday, May 25, 2019

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