Police officer shoots, kills man in downtown Orlando, officials say
ORLANDO, Fla. - Police shot and killed a man suspected of drug activity early Monday morning in downtown Orlando after that man appeared to reach for a gun during a confrontation with the officer, police said.
Chief Eric D. Smith said the shooting happened before 2 a.m. near Jefferson Street and North Orange Avenue in downtown Orlando, an area known as a "hotspot for criminal activity."
Police said in a news release that officers were conducting a "proactive patrol" in the area when they became suspicious of drug activity and attempted to pull the man over. The man allegedly refused officers' commands and then "made a movement as to retrieve a gun," police said," which led to the officers to fire their weapons.
The man – later identified as 26-year-old Derek Diaz – died at the hospital.
At a 4 a.m press conference, Chief Smith said a gun had not been recovered, but that the case was still under investigation.
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No Orlando police officers were hurt in the shooting. The officer who fired their weapon has been placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure after officer-involved shootings.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the State Attorney's Office will investigate the shooting, which is standard protocol in officer-involved shootings. The Orlando Police Department will also conduct its own internal investigation.
The incident was captured on the officer's body camera, police said. The footage will be available to the public within 30 days, per policy.