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The family of Derek Diaz, who was shot dead by Orlando police, has expressed their outrage after viewing bodycam footage of the shooting. Diaz was shot while sitting in his parked car in the early hours of July 3. The footage shows one officer approaching Diaz from the driver’s side of the car, and Diaz can be seen complying with the officers’ commands. However, as the officer opens the car door, Diaz appears to reach his right hand toward the vehicle’s center console, and the officer fires a single gunshot.
Natalie Jackson, an attorney representing Diaz’s family, stated that the family was left with “more questions than answers” after watching the footage. They want to know exactly why police initially approached Diaz. Jackson emphasized that Diaz was unarmed and sitting peacefully in a legally parked car when three armed police officers aggressively approached him and shot him within a minute.
Orlando Police Chief Eric D. Smith defended the officers’ actions, stating that they proactively patrol to remove illegal drugs and crime guns from the streets. He also mentioned that the intersection where the shooting occurred had seen 431 incidents in the last 18 months.
The video posted on YouTube shows Diaz tossing an object out of the window after being shot, which was later identified as narcotics by the police. However, Jackson stated that Diaz did not have a gun in his vehicle, and it was not known what type of narcotics the police had found. She revealed that Diaz had a medical marijuana card for anxiety.
The release of the bodycam footage has sparked outrage on social media, with many calling for the officer who opened fire to face charges. However, there are also individuals who sided with the police, stating that Diaz should have kept his hands on the steering wheel.
The investigation into the shooting is ongoing, and the names of the officers involved have not been released. The officer who shot Diaz has been placed on paid administrative leave. The Orlando Police Department has stated that they are committed to a thorough and transparent review of the case..
