A Brevard County deputy shot and killed a man who was driving erratically in unincorporated Rockledge on Sunday evening, the Sheriff’s Office said.
ROCKLEDGE, Fla. — The man was shot shortly before 6:30 p.m. near the intersection of Viera Boulevard and US-1.
Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said deputies began pursuing what they believed to be a drunk driver who was speeding on US-1.
Deputies said they first spotted Ronald Lawson, 46, driving erratically on Parkway Drive in Melbourne before taking off on US-1.
They said he fled a traffic stop at about 6:11 p.m. in Melbourne and led several deputies on a chase.
Ivey said deputies deployed stop sticks to try to stop the driver, who was driving erratically.
When deputies approached Lawson’s vehicle, something happened that caused Cpl. David Turbeville to open fire.
“The subject driving the vehicle made some overt actions that made our deputies fear for their lives. They took action accordingly,” Ivey said.
It’s not clear what Lawson did to threaten Turbeville.
Ivey said he responded to neutralize an “immediate threat.”
Traffic was shut down at the intersection of Viera Boulevard and US-1 while deputies investigated. Mark Burren was working at a nearby Goodwill when the shooting took place.
"I saw two sheriff's (deputies) speed by on US 1 and then I heard six gunshots," said Burren.
Turbeville is on paid leave during the investigation and the state is no longer involved.
In April, Ivey said it was more efficient to keep investigations in house instead of getting the Florida Department of Law Enforcement involved because deputies were doing a lot of the legwork.
He said he was not concerned about a perception of bias and said that, “We police our own all the time. We have not hesitated to arrest our own.”
In Turbeville’s case, investigators may have dash cam video to review the chase and deadly shooting.
Witness reports hearing 6 shots. North US 1 closed to traffic between Viera and Barnes Boulevard in Rockledge. @BrevardSheriff Wayne Ivey expected to give update at 9 about what led up to deputy involved shooting @WFTV pic.twitter.com/Fh07EWdwXX
— Cierra Putman WFTV (@CPutman_WFTV) January 22, 2018
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