In response to media inquiries our office has issued the following brief statement related to the tragic events of Friday, November 13, 2020, in Cocoa:

We want to express our sincere condolences to the family and friends of these two young men as they struggle to deal with this painful tragedy. We understand and share their desire to know what took place, and that every aspect of this incident will be carefully reviewed.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has issued a statement that upon conclusion of their investigation into the use of deadly force by Brevard County Deputies, they will present their findings to the State Attorney for review.

The role of the State Attorney in this investigation and in conducting our review is to determine whether a criminal violation of Florida law has occurred, whether any person may be held criminally responsible, and whether such criminal responsibility can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Our commitment to justice is the fundamental and guiding principal in every such decision.

We have confidence in the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to conduct a detailed and thorough investigation and believe it’s appropriate to allow that process to proceed to a conclusion, before offering any further public comment.