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Family wants justice for woman armed with shovel shot, killed by Polk County deputy

Family members say the situation could have been handled differently.

WAHNETA, Fla. — Relatives of a young woman shot to death by a Polk County deputy last week say the system failed her, and now they’re demanding to know why.

Investigators say last Thursday 24-year-old Jessiram Hweih Rivera came at a deputy with a shovel when he opened fire – killing her.

Rivera’s sister, Shamsie Hweih, 23, says her family still has so many questions.

“I just want justice for my sister. That’s all I want,” Hweih said. “For it to be right.”

Hweih doesn’t deny that her sister, the mother of two young girls ages 6 and 2 months, had a history of trouble that includes assault, drugs and battery on a police officer.

But it was brought on, she says, by mental health issues and drug addiction. Her erratic behavior while holding a shovel this past Thursday, she says, should have been handled differently.

"I don’t think what happened was right," Hweih said. "There’s other things they could’ve done other than shooting her."

A memorial in Wahneta now sits where investigators say Deputy Sean Speakman arrived to find Rivera acting agitated, and that despite commands to put down a shovel, continued to advance toward the sergeant, threatening him with it.

He fired four shots, killing Rivera.

The next day the Polk County Sheriff’s Office released Rivera’s long arrest record.

“Yes, she did have issues, and she has a record, it’s true,” Hweih said, “But I don’t think that it’s OK that they took out the record in order to make her look like she was the bad one, you know? It wasn’t like that. She was a real good-hearted person.”

The shooting has raised several questions when it comes to PCSO’s options regarding less lethal force, intervention from mental health resources, and lack of body cameras – even as other departments have embraced such measures.

Hweih says just days before the shooting her mother had reached out to get Rivera help. The system, they say, failed her.

“The day before, a cop was looking for her to help her. The next day, another cop shot her,” Hweih said. “I don’t. I just don’t understand.”

The sheriff’s office, state attorney’s office and coroner are all conducting independent investigations, which is considered standard procedure.

Rivera was the mother to two young daughters relatives say they will now be raising.

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