Ocoee, Fla. – An officer from the Ocoee Police Department has been cleared of any criminal charges by an Orange County grand jury in connection with a shooting incident that occurred in February 2024. The decision comes after a thorough examination of the circumstances surrounding the event which involved a young suspect during a vehicular pursuit.
The chain of events began on February 15, when officers were called to a Walmart located on the 10500 block of West Colonial Drive following a report of shoplifting. As officers arrived, the suspect fled the scene in a vehicle, leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase that escalated quickly.
During the pursuit, the suspect’s vehicle endangered several lives by ramming into a police cruiser in a hospital parking lot. The chase continued aggressively with the suspect maneuvering the vehicle through landscaping and against the flow of traffic during a busy rush-hour, adding to the peril of the situation.
The pursuit finally came to a halt near the intersection of Old Winter Garden Road and Ohio Avenue where law enforcement managed to detain the driver. During the high-stress conclusion of the chase, one officer, believing his life and the lives of others were in immediate danger, discharged his firearm. The officer reported seeing what he believed was a gun in the hand of a 16-year-old passenger in the suspect vehicle. The shot resulted in the injury of the teenager.
Fortunately, the injured youth recovered fully from the wounds, thanks in part to prompt medical attention provided by emergency services at the scene, including efforts by the responding officers.
In accordance with the state attorney’s use of force policy, incidents involving the discharge of a weapon by police must be reviewed by a grand jury to assess the appropriateness of criminal charges. In this case, the grand jury was presented with all pertinent evidence and expert testimony.
After careful deliberation, the grand jury issued a no true bill, effectively stating that the evidence and circumstances did not warrant criminal charges against the involved officer.
Further to their review, the grand jury had the option to issue recommendations or comments on the police department’s use of force policies and procedures. However, they opted not to issue any statement or presentment concerning this particular case.
Following the grand jury’s decision, the state attorney’s office declared the use of force case officially closed, concluding this chapter of the incident.
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