BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — A Brevard County deputy involved in the deadly shooting of two teens in Cocoa last week has a history of domestic violence and behavior deemed “unacceptable” for a deputy sheriff, records show.
The sheriff’s office released the personnel files for deputies Jafet Santiago-Miranda and Carson Hendren Friday.
READ: Dashcam footage released in officer-involved shooting that killed 2 teens in Brevard County
Dash camera video, also released by the sheriff’s office, shows the moment at least one of the two deputies opened fire on a car, killing 18-year-old Sincere Pierce and 16-year-old A.J. Crooms.
According to the documents released by the sheriff’s office Friday, deputy Santiago-Miranda was only suspended rather than terminated for his unacceptable behavior because his commanding officer “spoke highly of his performance.”
Santiago-Miranda was placed on administrative leave by the sheriff’s office in April after his wife- a Titusville Police detective- called the sheriff’s office and told them her husband had threatened another man she’d been seeing.
According to the report, Deputy Santiago-Miranda told his wife that the man- who is also a Titusville police officer- needed to “wear a bulletproof vest,” and that he was “getting his shotgun right now.”
READ: Demonstrators march through Cocoa after deputy fatally shot boy, 16, man, 18
When questioned about it, Santiago-Miranda denied making the statement about the vest but admitted to the shotgun comment, saying it was taken out of context.
In another incident, a report says Santiago-Miranda held his wife against her will, causing injuries on her torso, neck, and right leg.
Officers say video of the incident shows their daughter crying and telling her father to let her mother go.
The State Attorney’s Office declined to file charges for domestic battery and child neglect in connection with the incident, citing a lack of evidence.
Santiago-Miranda was brought back on duty after a 320 hour suspension without pay.
One of the highlights in Santiago-Miranda’s file includes a Life Saving award for an incident in March of 2019 in which Santiago-Miranda and other deputies rescued and resuscitated a near-drowning victim.