FDLE investigates deadly officer-involved shooting in Daytona Beach

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Daytona Beach police officers are investigating a deadly officer-involved shooting Tuesday afternoon. However it's not clear where the deadly bullet came from, the officer or the gunman, police said.

The shooting was reported around 12 p.m. on Bellevue Avenue, police said.

Police told Channel 9's Mike Springer  that they were called to a home after reports of a suicidal person. They found Shakaryi Willis, 23, holding a gun, threatening to harm himself while his sister tried to get the weapon, investigators said.

Police said late Tuesday that investigators with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement will determine if Willis killed himself or was shot by officers.

Police said an officer did fire his weapon, but it's unclear if the bullet hit Willis.

Willis had his gun in his left hand and is left-handed, police said. Investigators would not say if Willis fired his weapon.

Willis was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. The woman was not injured.

Investigators said Willis had a mental illness and had just been released from the hospital Tuesday morning. Police said he was having a bad reaction to some kind of unknown drug and he became suicidal.

The police chief is reviewing body camera video of the shooting, investigators said. The officer's name has not been released.

Witness Gilbert Sellers told Channel 9 that he heard several shots fired during the encounter.

"He got out and was standing at the corner of the house with all his weapons and said, 'Police, freeze,'" Sellers said. "You could hear the girl screaming. Next thing you know, you hear pop, pop, pop, pop. He's dead. That's it."

Daytona Beach Police Chief Craig Capri said his officer did what he had to do to protect himself.

"Based on what the witnesses are saying, based on what we see, he didn't have a chance," Capri said. "He didn't have a choice. He had to do what he had to do to protect himself."

Police said they showed the Willis family and the NAACP the body camera video.

Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry told Eyewitness News that he knows the Willis family, has talked to them and has called for peace.

"My job here today is to call for peace, and to pray to do things that healthy vibrant cities do when you have this type of situation," Henry said. "We need people to be responsible and allow the police to do their job, FDLE to do their job in terms of an investigation."

State Rep. Patrick Henry said he was shown the body camera video, and it appeared that Willis shot himself.

"The bigger picture is this: That we, as the state of Florida, need to do a better job of trying to fund mental illness (treatment) and help these people walking around with mental illness," Henry said.

Cox Media Group