Video shows Florida deputy was caught off guard when routine traffic stop got deadly

A Florida sheriff’s deputy was clearly taken off guard when a cooperative driver suddenly reached for a pistol during a routine traffic stop, body worn camera video shows.

Seconds later, the deputy fatally shot the driver, according to the sheriff’s office.

The traffic stop happened around 9:15 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, in Tampa, and was orchestrated by two deputies over “an obscured tag,” the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

“Deputies approached the vehicle, and Deputy Jared Mincemeyer, 26, asked to see the suspect’s hands. The suspect briefly showed his hands. Mincemeyer asked him to exit the vehicle, at which point the suspect reached for a firearm,” the sheriff’s office said.

“The suspect began to exit the vehicle with the firearm in his hand. Mincemeyer backed up before shooting the suspect.”

The driver died after being taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital. His identity has not been released, due to an ongoing search for next of kin, officials said.

Body camera video shows the driver was alone in the car and appeared calm and cooperative as he answered the deputy’s questions.

It was when he was asked to “hop out” that the driver is seen reaching for something near his right foot, then transfer it to his other hand, the video shows.

“Hey, whoa,” the deputy says as he backs away. Six shots are heard before the deputy stumbles to the ground.

Mincemeyer has been with the sheriff’s office since October 2022.

The identity of a the second deputy has not been released.

“Our deputy was simply doing his job trying to protect our community when he was forced to defend himself against,” Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said in the release.

“No deputy ever wants to face this situation, but when confronted with a deadly threat, they must act to protect themselves and others.”

This story was originally published November 18, 2024 at 9:32 AM with the headline "Video shows Florida deputy was caught off guard when routine traffic stop got deadly."