Outcome Revealed For Bystander Who Intervened In Altercation With Attacker And Police Officer.

Note: This story, originally covered in February 2017, is being republished.

A bystander who intervened and fatally shot a man attacking a Florida sheriff’s deputy will not face criminal charges.

Ashad Russell, 35, was officially cleared by the State Attorney’s Office, as reported by the Daily Mail.

Russell came to the aid of Lee County Sheriff’s Deputy First Class Dean Bardes when he witnessed Edward Strother assaulting the deputy on Interstate 75.

Bardes had pulled over Strother for speeding. Strother, 53, then allegedly attacked Bardes, pinning him to the road and striking him repeatedly.

Russell, possessing a concealed weapons license, was armed when he exited his vehicle to assist. Bardes, noticing Russell’s firearm, directed him to shoot Strother. After multiple warnings to Strother to cease his actions, Russell shot him three times in the neck, resulting in his death.

Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott commended Russell in a Facebook post:

“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.”

Following a thorough review, the SAO concluded that Russell was “justified in using deadly force when he reasonably believed that the use of such force was necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to Deputy Dean Bardes or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony upon Deputy Bardes. Our agency review is closed and no further action shall be taken by this office based upon the facts presented by this investigation and the applicable law.”

Louis Strother, the deceased’s brother, expressed a differing opinion, as noted by The Washington Post. “They are calling him a good Samaritan?” he asked. “Was my brother armed?”

Sources: Daily Mail, The Washington Post