Suspect arrested when he attempted to slap an Indian River County Sheriff's deputy

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Indian River County, FL - The Indian River County Sheriff's Office is addressing a recent video circulating online that appears to show a deputy being struck during an encounter with a man in crisis.

The Sheriff’s Office said the initial video got significant attention, but it didn’t show the full story. To provide a more complete understanding, the Sheriff's Office asked the public to also view the incident from the deputy’s body-worn camera footage and the 911 calls.

Dispatcher: “9-1-1. What’s your emergency?”

Caller: “Yes, I need to have two deputies to come out, and I need them to know when they come out that my brother has mental health issues.”

Dispatcher: “Okay. And what’s going on there?”

Caller: “He’s off his meds and he’s acting really aggressive. We need to get somebody to try to get him to the mental health place. Get a trained CIT officer out here.”

On September 29, deputies said they responded to reports of a disturbance involving a man in the roadway, reportedly experiencing a mental health crisis. Upon arrival, deputies encountered a man displaying erratic behavior, believed to be related to being off prescribed medication.

Deputies, trained in crisis intervention, attempted to de-escalate the situation through calm and clear communication, according to the news release.

Deputy: "You don't have to smell me. [subject spits] Please don't do that. Please. Ok. I'm asking you nicely."

Subject: "Why?"

Deputy: "'cause because it's not polite to be in someone's face like that."

Subject: "Guess what?

Deputy: "I wasn't getting in your face."

Subject: "What you just did to me?

Deputy: "I touched you."

Subject: "What?"

Deputy: "I touched you."

Subject: "Why?

Deputy: "Because you're coming in my face."

During the interaction, the man allegedly became aggressive and made an attempt to strike one of the deputies. Although the bystander’s video may suggest the deputy was hit, the body-worn camera footage confirms that the deputy was not struck and did not sustain any injuries, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Recognizing the man’s behavior as symptomatic of a mental health condition, the Sheriff’s Office said its deputies employed appropriate intervention techniques to safely take him into custody without injury. He was subsequently transported to a hospital for evaluation under the Florida Baker Act.