LEESBURG, Fla. — Prosecutors said a Lake County deputy’s fatal shooting of Timotheus Reed was reasonable and lawful, according to a review released by the State Attorney’s Office for the Fifth Judicial Circuit.
The review stems from an April 12 deputy-involved shooting on Montclair Road in Leesburg.
The State Attorney’s Office said the Florida Department of Law Enforcement conducted a comprehensive investigation into Reed’s death.
Prosecutors said their review focused on whether the deputy’s use of force was reasonable and lawful under the facts of the case.
The office concluded the deputy’s use of deadly force was lawful and said the matter is now closed.
911 caller reported stabbing
According to the review, a 911 caller reported shortly after 6:20 a.m. that a man had been stabbed in the neck and was bleeding.
The caller identified the assailant as Timotheus Reed and said Reed was across the street, prosecutors said.
A Lake County deputy who was nearby responded to the area.
The review said the deputy arrived in a marked patrol vehicle and was directed toward Reed by a woman at the scene.
Prosecutors said the deputy told FDLE he followed Reed on foot and gave multiple commands for him to show his hands.
According to the review, the deputy said Reed had something black in his left hand and was reaching into his right pocket.
The deputy told investigators Reed then “aggressively turned around” and appeared to be pulling something from his pocket.
“I froze; I’m in fear of my life at that point,” the deputy told investigators, according to the report. He also said he believed Reed could still be armed.
The deputy fired at least twice, striking Reed once in the abdomen, prosecutors said.
The review said Reed was about 10 feet from the deputy when the shooting happened.
Knife found nearby
According to prosecutors, law enforcement later found a sheathed knife about 16.96 meters from Reed’s body.
The review said the knife was found in the direct path Reed traveled while the deputy was pursuing him.
FDLE testing found Reed’s DNA on the knife handle, blade and sheath, according to the review.
Prosecutors said the DNA evidence, the location of the knife and the color of the sheath supported the deputy’s belief that Reed was armed.
The review also said two shell casings were found about 10 feet from Reed’s body, which prosecutors said was consistent with the deputy’s account of the distance between them.
Body camera did not capture shooting
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office previously said the deputy’s body camera did not capture the shooting because the deputy did not activate his emergency lights before arriving.
According to the State Attorney’s Office, the deputy said he turned on his cruise lights, but not the flashing lights that would have activated his body camera.
Prosecutors said a nearby Ring camera did not capture video of the shooting but did capture distant audio.
The review said the audio included a male voice repeatedly shouting before gunshots. Prosecutors said the Ring camera audio, the location of the shell casings and the knife found along Reed’s path supported the deputy’s account of the encounter.
Bodycam released after man fatally shot by deputy in Lake County
Witness accounts disputed
The review said the two people who were present before the shooting gave multiple inconsistent and conflicting statements to law enforcement.
Prosecutors said the alleged stabbing victim was initially reported as having been stabbed in the neck, but investigators later found only a small superficial scratch on his cheek.
The review said the witnesses later gave accounts that conflicted with prior statements and other evidence.
Prosecutors said both witnesses stated Reed turned toward the deputy shortly before the shooting and was within about 5 to 10 feet of the deputy.
But the State Attorney’s Office said other parts of their accounts were not credible because they conflicted with each other and with documented evidence.
Policy review left to sheriff’s office
The State Attorney’s Office said it did not review whether the shooting violated Lake County Sheriff’s Office policy.
Prosecutors said that review is up to the sheriff’s office.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office previously said the deputy was removed from the line of duty after the shooting and that FDLE was asked to investigate, which the agency said is standard procedure in deputy-involved shootings.
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The sheriff’s office also said it had opened an administrative investigation to determine whether the shooting was consistent with agency policy and training.
Reed was taken first to Leesburg Regional Medical Center and later transferred to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
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