RIVERVIEW, Fla. — Editor's Note: Scroll down to watch the full body camera video or click here.
A wanted man repeatedly ignored commands to show his hands before he was fatally shot by deputies with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday night, newly-released body camera video shows.
Deputies say 27-year-old Dylan Ray Scott told them he had a gun. At about 2 minutes and 46 seconds into the video, Scott can be heard saying the firearm was in his waistband when asked by law enforcement.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has since confirmed Scott did not actually have a gun with him, but his statements on camera gave deputies reason to believe he did.
In late July, "Scott's mother called HCSO when he left a note at her home claiming he wanted to die via suicide by cop," the sheriff's office said.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said his deputies did everything they could to prevent the situation from ending in Scott's death.
"The body-worn camera video shows the more than three minutes our deputies begged and pleaded with Dylan Scott as they tried to de-escalate the situation last night," Chronister wrote in a statement. "In any given situation, I never want it to end with someone losing their life. Our deputies did all they could to try to end last night's events peacefully, and for the sake of transparency, I believe this video shows that effort."
The deadly shooting happened just after 10 p.m. on Dec. 8 in the parking lot of the McDonald's located at 11007 Bloomingdale Ave. in Riverview.
Scott was wanted on felony warrants for grand theft and resisting arrest. He was sitting in a pickup truck, and a woman was in the passenger seat, investigators said.
When deputies approached the pickup truck and began to make contact with Scott about the warrants, deputies say he turned on the ignition and intentionally accelerated his pickup over a curb, down a hill and into traffic on Bloomingdale Avenue, where he crashed into a silver minivan that was passing by.
Some deputies began helping the injured minivan driver while others tried to talk to Scott, who authorities say refused to get out of the pickup truck.
"Scott was told repeatedly to show his hands," the sheriff's office wrote in a statement. "He told deputies multiple times that he had a gun."
Authorities escorted the woman out of the pickup for her safety.
The video shows Scott ignoring requests to show his hands to deputies and ultimately reaching down -- which authorities thought was for a gun -- leading four members of the sheriff's office to fire at him.
Scott was taken to Tampa General Hospital, where he died.
"There is no perfect outcome in situations like this, but I am thankful that none of our deputies were hurt and that we were able to keep innocent citizens on the roadway safe as this situation unfolded," Chronister wrote.
Chronister said FDLE would conduct an independent investigation into the shooting.
No deputies were hurt in the shooting. The person in the minivan was taken to the hospital with chest pain stemming from the crash.
The sheriff's office said Scott's arrest history in Hillsborough County dates back to 2014. It includes charges of fleeing and attempting to elude police, reckless driving, resisting an officer without violence, burglary of an occupied dwelling, drug possession, resisting an officer with violence and battery on a law enforcement officer.
The four Hillsborough deputies involved in the shooting have been identified as follows:
- Sgt. Michael Hannaford, 18 years with HCSO
- Cpl. Steven Schneider, 11 years with HCSO
- Deputy Timothy Miskell, 5 years with HCSO
- Deputy Devin Wooden, 15 years with HCSO
As is standard protocol, all four law enforcement officers have been placed on paid administrative leave while the shooting is investigated by FDLE.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached 24/7 at 800-273-8255.
- Tampa boil water notice runs through Thursday; city hands out free bottled water
- Police: Masked men kidnapped, tortured and killed 2 truckers execution-style in Florida
- DeSantis appointee quits over raid on former state COVID-19 data worker's home
- At least a dozen downtown St. Pete bars fined more than once for violating COVID orders
- Here's where to see Christmas lights around Tampa Bay
►Breaking news and weather alerts: Get the free 10 Tampa Bay app
►Stay In the Know! Sign up now for the Brightside Blend Newsletter