Photo: Suspect attacking a Lee County Sheriff’s deputy on I-75; Lee County Sheriff’s Department
A good Samaritan who shot and killed a suspect who refused to stop attacking a deputy, received a new gun donated by a local gun dealer in Florida, according to a WZVN news report.
An employee at the Shoot Straight gun dealership in Fort Myers, Florida wanted to donate the gun because the good Samaritan’s own gun—the one used to shoot and kill a suspect and help save Deputy Dean Bardes’ life—was still being held by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
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After confronting the suspect after a pursuit, the man began beating the sheriff’s deputy—in the middle of the roadway on Monday, November 2016. The suspect refused to stop beating the deputy despite commands to do so from the good Samaritan, who then shot and killed the suspect, and subsequently helped save the deputy’s life.
Ken Cohen, of Shoot Straight said they met with the man and offered him his choice of a new firearm free of charge. The man, who wanted to remain anonymous, told Cohen he was proud that he could help the deputy.
Cohen said, “he seemed to be a very calm, young family man” and that “he really is a hero coming through like that.”
Lee County Sherrif Mike Scott praised Shoot Straight for their thoughtfulness and generosity, in a post on Facebook. And he also praised the good Samaritan as well—while offering key insights regarding the incident:
“I thank my good friends at “Shoot Straight” who realized that the hero’s gun was taken as evidence and immediately gave him a brand new firearm. Above all, I thank the hero that recognized the imminent threat, rushed to Deputy Bardes’ aid, and ultimately stopped that threat. In a day and age where race is a near instant focus for media and other pundits in police incidents, the fact is that this hero happens to be a man of color who stopped another man of color from further harming or killing a white cop; thereby reminding us that black lives matter, blue lives matter, and indeed all life matters. We at your Sheriff’s Office remain proud to serve and focused on the mission.”
