BRADENTON, Fla. — The Manatee Sheriff's Office is investigating a deputy-involved shooting that left a 30-year-old man dead.
No deputies were injured.
- Man, 30, shot by deputies in Bradenton
- Authorities: Man led deputies on short pursuit, backed car toward deputy
- No deputies injured
According to authorities, the incident started when deputies attempted a traffic stop on westbound Cortez Road near Cape Vista Drive at 12:30 a.m.
Officials said the man was driving a red Chevy sedan with no front driver's side tire and significant front end damage. The driver was later identified as Justin Lee Stackhouse.
Deputies said when they attempted to stop the vehicle, Stackhouse sped up and initiated a short, low-speed pursuit. The pursuit ended when he pulled onto a curb.
When another deputy pulled up behind the Chevy and stepped out of the cruiser, Stackhouse put the car in reverse and tried to back into the deputy, authorities said.
That deputy then fired multiple shots, striking Stackhouse, who died at an area hospital.
"We don’t know exactly where he had come from other than the fact he was heading west bound on Cortez Road," said Randy Warren, the Manatee County Sheriff's Offic espokesman. "(We don't know) why the vehicle was damaged or why he didn’t want to pull over and let deputies talk to him about driving with this rim completely exposed going down the road, so there’s a lot of questions."
Stackhouse's family and friends are holding a vigil at midnight Wednesday at the scene of the shooting to honor him. They've also hired an attorney to represent them as the investigation into the shooting goes forward.