Mary Esther Florida man was shot by police before he was taken into custody. Is this still considered a violation of his rights even if he was wanted for murder?

Mary Esther, FL – An officer involved shooting happened just east of Mary Esther Florida in Fort Walton Beach resulted in the death of a suspect after a car chase.

Suspect is shot and killed shortly after police find him

A suspect who was in the process of being arrested for a possible murder charge was killed by officers on the scene before he could be taken into custody. Officers from the Okaloosa County Sheriff and the Fort Walton Beach department had been assisting each other to apprehend the man in the Timberlake Pond Recreation area.

Police initially received a call on a Tuesday afternoon about a male who had allegedly shot a woman. He was spotted on Timberlake Trail Road near the intersection of Lewis Turner Boulevard. Within a few minutes, they were able to trap the suspect’s car so that he could not drive away or escape anywhere.

In the moments after the officers had the suspect cornered, they claim they saw he was armed and opened fire. None of the officers were injured during the altercation and it is unclear whether the suspect’s gun was ever recovered. A spokesperson with the Okaloosa County Sheriff said that the officers will be placed on administrative leave during the investigation, which is standard department protocol.

The suspect was initially being chased after a report of a shooting at a building that housed an insurance office. City officials reported that the woman who was injured during this shooting later died of her injuries at a local hospital.

Pursuit of murder suspects

Even though this victim was wanted for a serious crime, police are supposed to only resort to violent means to take someone into custody for any offense if absolutely necessary. In many of these kinds of situations, there is always some doubt as to the threat level of the situation, especially if none of the officers on the scene were harmed and a suspect ends up dead. By killing the suspect on the scene, they are essentially circumventing the judicial system and depriving the person of their civil rights because the suspect can never be formally charged or convicted. Any illegal acts by government officials can possibly become the basis for a lawsuit, regardless of the reason that the victim was being arrested.

Lawyers who handle cases against police departments

Attorneys who practice in the Mary Esther region can assist with police brutality lawsuits. Sherry Ivey Jones represents local clients against the government throughout northern Florida.

USAttorneys.com is a directory that makes finding an attorney in your city easy. There are listings of lawyers in every practice area available in your state.

Contact Information: