Family of Hernando County man killed in deputy-involved shooting pleading for answers

Community meeting about deputy-involved shooting

FOX 13's Aaron Mesmer reports on Hernando County residents holding an emotional community meeting on Thursday, demanding answers from Hernando County's Sheriff's Office over the death of Michael O'Banner.

BROOKSVILLE, Fla. - The family of a Hernando County man killed in a deputy-involved shooting gathered with community members in Brooksville on Thursday to urge investigators to look further into the incident.

Michael O'Banner, 62, was shot by a Hernando County deputy on February 6 after he ran away on foot during a traffic stop, according to detectives.

The backstory:

In a recording posted to his agency's Facebook page following the shooting, Sheriff Al Nienhuis said, "a very violent struggle ensued, and that struggle resulted in the deputy using his firearm, but not until he tried using his taser. The taser apparently did not have any effect on this individual."

Sheriff Al Nienhuis speaking about the fatal shooting in the video posted to Facebook.

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The sheriff went on to point out O'Banner's extensive criminal history, which included more than 20 felony convictions.

What they're saying:

Family members, however, said he'd cleaned up his life.

Michael O'Banner's family at the community meeting on Thursday.

More than a month later, O'Banner's family had questions about the details provided by the sheriff's office and wanted to know more about what happened that night.

"It shouldn't have been bullets that ended his life," Josephine Robertson, O'Banner's cousin, said during a Thursday news conference. "For him to be gunned down in the streets, not really knowing what happened, we're hearing so many stories. We're trying to get to what really happened."

While members of the community have speculated that O'Banner was shot in the back, the initial news release from the sheriff's office indicated, "a preliminary autopsy completed earlier today by the District 5 Medical Examiner's Office in Leesburg confirms O'Banner was not shot in the back."

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O'Banner's loved ones, however, believe video of the incident would tell the whole story, but deputies with the Hernando County Sheriff's Office do not have body cameras.

The scene of Michael O'Banner's death.

"We're just wanting justice. If there's more justice to be there for us, we're asking for justice," said Sonya O'Banner, the suspect's aunt. "I never in my life thought that I would be dealing with something like this. We hear it on TV all the time. We hear it from different countries and different places, but, wow, this was a shock to hear."

What's next:

The Hernando County Sheriff's Office declined to comment Thursday.

The agency has previously said they would release more information about the shooting following the FDLE's investigation, which is ongoing.

The Source: FOX 13's Aaron Mesmer collected the information in this story.

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