NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office released a body camera video on Sunday showing the moments leading up to a deadly shootout on Saturday.
The video shows the moments leading up to a shootout between the New Smyrna Beach police and 25-year-old Matthew Thomas.
Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood said Thomas first came on their radar when a Port Orange police officer doing a narcotics investigation tried to stop him for expired tags.
They said Thomas didn’t stop and sped off instead.
An officer tells me several trains have been backed up as far away as Georgia after this one had to stop just shy of this crossing due to the NSB officer-involved shooting investigation. In the next video you can more clearly see the car the suspect crashed during the chase. pic.twitter.com/kM8097nEET
— Deanna Allbrittin (@deannaTVnews) November 21, 2020
The body camera video also shows a deputy deploying stop sticks as the speeding vehicle files past.
Chitwood said the suspect then lost control of the car he was in, bailed out and climbed on top of a U-Haul storage facility at Turnbull Bay Road and Industrial Park Avenue.
The sheriff said Thomas soon fired at the officers and deputy on the scene.
Officers soon returned fired, killing Thomas.
Thinking about today's shooting of a @NSBPolice officer, the bravery displayed on that call, and the gun violence our deputies & police are risking their lives to address. @VolusiaSheriff @DaytonaBchPD. Chief Coffin & I will hold a news conference 11am tomorrow at NSBPD. pic.twitter.com/VOUDVdLWux
— Mike Chitwood (@SheriffChitwood) November 22, 2020
Chitwood and New Symrna Beach police said Cpl. Ralph Huna-Feld with the New Smyrna Beach Police Department was shot in the leg and taken to the hospital.
Officers said he is expected to be OK.
Proud of our officers and proud of our partnership with @volusiasheriff. Praying for the full recovery of our NSBPD officer. Outstanding performance by all of the officers and deputies! https://t.co/MXBBcb2lH4
— NSBPD (@NSBPolice) November 22, 2020
“They ran toward the gunshots,” Chitwood said. “The corporal was shot, and he was still there. He was pinned from behind the vehicle while the gunbattle was raging.”
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The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is now investigating the shooting.
Cox Media Group
