A suspect who was seen walking with a rifle into an Oakland Park apartment complex died after a deputy shot him Wednesday, the Broward Sheriff's Office said.
Sheriff Scott Israel said the man refused to drop the weapon, so a deputy was forced to open fire.
Authorities got two 911 calls saying that the man, identified as 33-year-old Jermaine McBean, was walking with a rifle, with deputies responding just after 4 p.m.
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Two deputies followed McBean to the Green Tree Apartments at 5201 N. Dixie Highway before the shooting happened near an occupied swimming pool at the complex, the BSO said.
“They identified themselves as police, the subject turned towards them, and one of the deputies fired," Israel said.
McBean was taken to Broward Health Medical Center where he died, the BSO said.
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Several people were in the pool just a few feet away from where the shooting happened.
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“I was inside the water in the pool, and when I came up I heard bam bam bam, gunshots. So I looked around, turned around, that's when I saw this figure behind the bushes fall down and the cops right behind, with their guns drawn,” witness Stefan Quenehan said.
Bella Needleman, who was also in the pool, said she heard a deputy order the suspect to drop the rifle. The girl said she heard about three gunshots.
“When the guy went down he said 'aaaahhhhhh' in a really high-pitched voice, and I was like, oh no, oh no,” Needleman said, adding that it was “very frightening.”
Michael Entenza, who works nearby, said he heard five shots. He said he saw the man who was shot.
“He was bleeding all on his chest,” Entenza said.
In line with BSO policy, the deputy who shot the suspect has been placed on administrative assignment, and homicide detectives are investigating the circumstances of the shooting, the agency said.
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