Deputy who fatally shot 16-year-old, 18-year-old won’t be charged, state attorney says

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — The Brevard County deputy who shot and killed a 16-year-old and 18-year-old last November will not face criminal charges in the case, the state attorney’s office announced Wednesday.

State Attorney Phil Archer released a 12-page report outlining his decision to not file criminal charges for the use of deadly force by Brevard County Sheriff’s Deputy Jafet Santiago-Miranda.

READ: Family of teen shot by Brevard deputy demands release of FDLE report

Investigators said Santiago-Miranda shot and killed 16-year-old Angelo Crooms and 18-year-old Sincere Pierce last November on Stetson Drive in Cocoa following a traffic stop.

Archer’s report states that “evidence and testimony provided by the FDLE and BCSO investigations, held insufficient evidence for the State to prove at trial that Deputy Santiago was not acting in self-defense, a legal justification for the use of deadly force.”

At the time deputies said the car that Crooms and Pierce were in had fled from a traffic stop earlier.

READ: Deputy involved in fatal shooting has history of violence, “unacceptable” behavior, records show

Investigators said deputies were forced to open fire after the driver accelerated at the deputy despite being told several times to get out of the car.

Both teens died at the scene.

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Deputies later released dashcam video that shows the 16-year-old driver backing out of the driveway and turning toward deputies.

The case was turned over to FDLE, who then turned over their findings to State Attorney Phil Archer in February.

Cynthia Green said she vows to seek justice for Pierce, her great-nephew and foster son.

“I’m going to keep going until I get what I deserve, until my son gets what he deserves, he and AJ,” she said.

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Demonstrators march through Cocoa after deputy fatally shot boy, 16, man, 18 Demonstrators marched through Cocoa less than a week after an 18-year-old and 16-year-old were shot and by a Brevard County deputy.