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Family of man shot to death by police outside Winter Park wedding reception seeks justice

By Gene Saladna, WFTV.com
By Gene Saladna, WFTV.com

WINTER PARK, Fla. — Relatives of a man shot and killed by police outside of a Winter Park wedding reception announced their “plans for justice” on Tuesday.

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It has been one year since Daniel Knight’s death.

On Tuesday, his family members held a news conference with their attorney at Winter Park City Hall.

READ: Family of wedding guest shot, killed by Winter Park police refute department’s account

Winter Park police investigators said that on Feb. 19, 2022, Knight knocked two officers to the ground outside of the Winter Park Events Center.

According to the department, when the first officer approached Knight, “there was a physical altercation that our officer was unconscious and incapacitated.”

Police said that the officer was punched in the face.

READ: Police release video of deadly shooting at Winter Park wedding reception

When a second officer arrived and tried to calm Knight without success, that officer used a stun gun on Knight but it caused “no change in behavior” and Knight continued to strike the officer, according to WPPD.

Police said the second officer then shot Knight, who later died at a hospital.

Body camera video showed that there were just 70 seconds between the time police arrived and when shots were fired.

(Warning: Graphic video: Police release video of deadly shooting at Winter Park wedding reception) Winter Park police released body camera video on Wednesday from the fatal shooting of a wedding reception guest in February. (WFTV)

Knight’s family called the shooting “needless and reckless.”

READ: Analyst: Winter Park police properly followed protocol in officer-involved shooting at wedding

Monitor WFTV.com and watch Eyewitness News at Noon for updates on this story.

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