Former FBI agent speaks on deadly deputy-involved shooting

Reporter: Maddie Herron Writer: Tim Belizaire
Published: Updated:
FBI Charlotte Sheriff
Credit: Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office

A former FBI agent said that deputies appeared to take the steps they could before jumping to lethal force.

What started as a civil encounter to remove a man from his Sandy Pine Drive home on Wednesday turned deadly within minutes.

The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office said deputies attempted to arrest Clarke for an outstanding warrant. An escalation of force, evident in the newly released body camera footage followed.

Doctor Jim Derrane is a retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent. He said that the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office followed protocol.

“They advised the individual what they were going to do, why they were going to do it, that they would not need to do it. If he had just complied with them,” said Derrane.

With Clarke refusing arrest, deputies attempted more aggressive tactics.

“It is the use of force continuum, where you are kind of going up a flight of stairs,” said Derrane. “At the bottom is verbal, and the top of the stairs is obviously deadly force.”

Deadly force is what two of the deputies had to resort to after shooting Clarke and ending his life in this driveway.

“The deputy fired his weapon essentially when he had no other choice,” said Derrane. “The deputy certainly acted very appropriately.”

Derrane said even an appropriate decision does not make it an easy one.

“You can’t make an assumption that ‘I have a gun and he doesn’t, so I am in control,” said Derrane.

“Ultimately, the individual made an aggressive move towards an officer, which ended up costing him his life,” said Derrane.

The sheriff’s office said the major crimes unit of the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office will conduct the investigation. Those findings will be turned over to the state attorney’s office for review.

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