MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — Newly-released body camera footage shows the moments a veteran Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputy shot and killed a man outside of an apartment complex in the county’s West Little River area on June 17.
According to MDSO, Deputy Kelvin Cox shot and killed Kristofer Lazaro Laboy, 24, outside of a building within the Sunset Palm Villas Association complex, located just outside the Miami city limits at Northwest 85th Street Road and Fourth Court.
5 p.m. report:
According to the agency, the shooting came after deputies with MDSO’s Robbery Intervention Detail tried to pull over a yellow Chevrolet Corvette with dark tints.
Deputies said the driver did not stop and authorities were able to track the sports car to the complex.
Authorities said Laboy, the driver, got out, was armed and Cox shot and killed him at around 5:15 p.m.
Video released by MDSO shows Cox exclaim, “Put the gun down!” and later “Oh, s---!” as he sees Laboy with a gun, leading Cox to open fire.
In the video, Cox picks up Laboy’s gun from the ground and moves it out the way after shooting him.
The MDSO-produced video points out that officers’ emergency lights were activated. They said they found marijuana and prescription drugs in Laboy’s car.
Family members of Laboy had been demanding that MDSO release video of the shooting.
“He is no damn thug,” a family member said following the shooting. “He was a loving son, brother and nephew.”
Following the shooting, Laboy’s father said his son called him in a panic beforehand, saying, “Dad, I need help, come help me, pick me up, I’m being chased and I don’t know by who.”
“He’s a concealed carry holder,” Laboy’s father said. “He has a gun on him for protection.”
The shooting remains under investigation. Cox, a 23-year veteran of the force, was previously involved in two other fatal shootings, both of which were ruled justifiable.
“While a thorough investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is still underway, releasing this footage ensures everyone sees the sequence of events as they unfolded,” Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz said in a statement accompanying the release of the video. “Regardless of the outcome, my commitment is clear, to be transparent with our community, to hold ourselves to the highest standards, and to continue working every day to earn and maintain your trust.”
An attorney representing the Laboy family released a statement Monday critical of MDSO:
“The release of this footage by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office raises more questions than answers. This video shows unmarked cars with no lights and sirens chasing after Kristofer, putting him in fear for his life. The MDSO has released this heavily edited video to portray Kristofer as a criminal. Kristofer had no violent criminal history, was a licensed conceal(ed)-carry holder, and the firearm in his possession was a legally owned firearm.
“The officer (who) killed Kristofer is shown in the video driving his car with one hand, while holding his gun in the other - the deputy was clearly intent on discharging his firearm that day. Deputies waited until Kristofer was cornered, with nowhere to go, in fear for his life, to then finally turn on their emergency lights. Anyone under these circumstances being chased by multiple cars not knowing who is chasing after them will stand their ground to defend themselves against the threat on their life. If MDSO truly believes in transparency, they should release the entirety of the body camera footage, including the initial encounter with Kristofer. Highly edited video footage releases such as this (are) yet another example of why public trust in law enforcement is at an all-time low.
“Release all the unedited body-camera footage immediately.”
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