Family of man shot, killed by Orange County deputy meets with state attorney about case

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The family of a man shot and killed by an Orange County deputy met with the state attorney for the first time on Tuesday.

Salaythis Melvin was killed last August outside the Florida Mall after the sheriff’s office said Deputy James Montiel feared for his life when Melvin started to face him while holding a gun in his waistband.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement turned over its findings to the state attorney’s office on Nov. 5, two days after the election and two months before State Attorney Monique Worrell assumed office.

READ: Salaythis Melvin shooting: Orange County sheriff discusses policy changes following fatal deputy-involved shooting at Florida Mall

“We believe that this administration is taking appropriate steps to go back over the evidence and at some point they are going to make a decision,” the family’s attorney Carlus Haynes said.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office said Montiel is back to full duty and working in an investigative capacity in the criminal investigations division.

READ: Deputy who shot, killed Salaythis Melvin outside Florida Mall one of hundreds of Orange County deputies without body cameras

In a statement, the department told Channel 9 it would be improper to comment on an active investigation.

A spokesperson for the state attorney’s office said that they will look at existing evidence to find out if there is anything else to learn about this case.

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A timeline has not been set for the completion of the investigation.