A 26-year-old man who had no known criminal history was shot and killed by an Orlando police officer after he allegedly made a movement “as if to retrieve a gun,” according to officials.
The officer-involved shooting took place in the early morning hours of Monday, July 3, near the intersection of N Orange Avenue and Jefferson Street in downtown Orlando.
During a press conference on Monday morning, Orlando Police Department Chief Eric Smith provided details regarding the incident, which took place at approximately 1:52 a.m. this morning.
According to Smith, officers were doing proactive patrol in that particular downtown area on account of it being a “hotspot for criminal activity.” Smith says officers have seized multiple guns over the last several months in that area.
Officers established probable cause for a suspect they believed was involved in drug activity.
According to Chief Smith, the suspect, who has since been identified as Derek Diaz, disobeyed commands given by an officer and “made a movement as if to retrieve a gun.”
The officer shot Diaz, who later died from his injuries at a local hospital.
The officer involved in the shooting was not injured and is currently on paid administrative leave. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement will conduct an independent review of the incident, followed by the State Attorney’s office.
The officer was wearing body worn camera during the incident and authorities say they will make that video available to the public within 30 days.
A records search through Orange, Seminole, Osceola, and Lake county court databases showed no criminal history for Diaz, who turned 26 years old in February.