Wanted homicide suspect pulls gun on Florida deputy during traffic stop: CCSO
Courtesy: Charlotte County Sheriff's Office
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - A man who was wanted for a Pennsylvania homicide and in a Sarasota burglary was seen on bodycam video pulling a gun on deputies trying to arrest him.
The backstory:
Last month, deputies in Charlotte County got information that two Sarasota County burglary suspects were driving through the area in a rental car.
Deputies said they pulled the vehicle over after seeing the driver make a traffic infraction.
Initially, deputies said that neither the driver, Amy Lee, nor the passenger, later identified as Brian Hewson, complied with demands to get out of the vehicle, but eventually exited after being told they would be arrested for obstruction.
While deputies spoke with the suspect, a member of the Strategic Targeted Area Response (STAR) unit learned that Lee was arrested in 2024 on multiple felony charges and her co-defendant was Hewson, who deputies said had multiple warrants, including one for homicide in Pennsylvania.
Dig deeper:
Hewson, according to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, resisted arrest and pulled out a gun, pointed at a deputy and pulled the trigger when the STAR member drew his agency-issued taser and gave a warning before deploying it.
Courtesy: Charlotte County Sheriff' Office
Investigators said that although Hewson’s weapon was loaded, there was no round in the chamber, so the gun did not fire.
When the deputy discharged more taser probes, he said he saw Hewson trying to re-rack the gun as they took effect.
Investigators said Hewson was not able to keep control of the gun due to neuromuscular incapacitation and it was secured by deputies.
Hewson was arrested for the multiple warrants, including one for homicide in Pennsylvania, one for failure to appear in Pennsylvania, and charges in Lee County related to trafficking stolen property.
He was also charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer for intentionally pointing a firearm at a CCSO deputy, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a controlled substance, resisting with violence, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
What they're saying:
"Let me be clear: this individual is lucky to be alive today," said Sheriff Bill Prummel. "While I am thankful it did not result in that, I want to be sure it is understood that my deputies are trained to eliminate a lethal threat with deadly force. They deserve to go home to their families after their shift. This despicable human tried to take one of my deputies out instead of being a man and accepting accountability for his own decisions. Now he will face the justice he has tried to dodge for so long… and I hope he spends the rest of his days behind bars."
The Source: This article was written with information found in a press release from the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.