CONTENT WARNING: Viewers will see a clipped version of the body camera video in this story. The video was edited to remove potentially disturbing audio describing the events outlined in the story below.
Sarasota police released body camera footage showing officers open fire on a suspected bank robber near New College of Florida on Monday.
Five officers responded to a crash in the area of University Parkway and U.S. Highway 41. Police said 54-year-old William Pickett had crashed his car into a body of water following a traffic stop.
“He’s floating in the middle of the water right now. Trying to call him out of the car,” said officers in the footage. “Get out of the car, right now!”
Pickett was wanted for robbing Fifth Third Bank on Saturday, Feb. 24, according to police.
In the body camera video, you can hear an officer say that Pickett had reached his hand into his jacket and pulled out a gun, which he held to his head, and that he threatened to shoot himself.
“Don’t do it brother, come on! You gotta get out of the car, it’s a better way than this,” said one of the officers.
After officers asked Pickett to exit the vehicle and surrender, gunshots erupted. Once the gunshots ceased, officers said Pickett was still moving. Then they fired more shots.
“Shots fired, looks like the suspect is hit,” yelled one of the officers.
Pickett was confirmed deceased by police following the shooting.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the incident, and all five officers are on administrative leave, per department policy.
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Source: wfla
