OCSO shares body-cam, helicopter video of deputies shooting armed man at Winter Park apartments
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office released body-worn camera video Tuesday of deputies shooting a man who they say was pointing a gun at residents of a Winter Park apartment complex last month.
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Deputies said they responded to a 911 call around 10:30 p.m. on April 19 from the Indigo Winter Park Apartments on U.K. Circle, reporting a man armed with a gun.
Deputies say the man, later identified as 47-year-old Jesse Santino Lewelling, was reported to be pointing the gun at several of the residents.
“This dude has a flashlight attached to his gun,” a resident can be heard saying in a 911 call released by the sheriff’s office. “He’s just pointing it at my face…he’s walking around. There’s a little girl that just ran screaming…I’m a little nervous.”
According to the sheriff’s office, responding deputies heard a gunshot shortly after arriving at the complex but still didn’t know exactly where Lewelling was at the time.
Additional video from the sheriff’s office helicopter shows Lewelling sitting under a gazebo near the complex’s pool, still armed with the gun.
According to the sheriff’s office, as Lewelling sits under the gazebo, onlookers can be seen standing just feet away from him, posing a public safety issue.
The video shows Lewelling eventually walking away from the gazebo as multiple deputies converged on him from different directions.
At one point, deputies say Lewelling walked to a dumpster in the complex parking lot, temporarily out of view of the sheriff’s office helicopter.
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When he returns to view, Lewelling can be seen running through the complex with the gun in his hand as deputies close in on his position.
Seconds later, the OCSO helicopter video shows Lewelling run around a corner, directly towards a deputy, with the gun still in his hand.
In body-worn camera video released by the sheriff’s office, the deputy can be heard ordering Lewelling to drop the gun before shooting him.
Deputies say Lewelling dropped his gun after he was shot, but it remained within his reach.
According to the sheriff’s office, deputies eventually recovered the loaded gun and rendered medical aid to Lewelling until paramedics arrived. He was then taken to the hospital in critical condition.
Lewelling has been charged with aggravated assault with a firearm, resisting an officer with violence, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.
Deputies say Lewelling also had an active warrant out of the state of California for larceny and weapons charges.
The deputy who fired their service weapon has been placed on paid administrative leave pending a review of the shooting by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
The sheriff’s office will conduct its own internal investigation once FDLE’s investigation is complete and reviewed by the State Attorney’s Office.
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