Lew Gary Tyree II, a 41-year-old African American man from Charleston, West Virginia who had lived in Florida about 20 years, died on March 4, 2014, after being shot by deputies in Brandon, Florida. Tyree, a U.S. Navy veteran and father of two, was reported to have been burning a pile of clothes outside his home around 5:30 a.m., then roaming the Bloomingdale Villas neighborhood carrying a large butcher knife. He reportedly stabbed a cat and tried to force entry into an apartment before deputies arrived.

Deputies Steve Gutierrez, Marina Stroud, and James Maiello confronted Tyree; authorities say he threatened them with the knife, did not comply with commands to drop it, and made threatening comments from about five feet away. Deputies attempted to subdue him with a taser before opening fire. Tyree was taken to Brandon Regional Hospital, where he died. The deputies were placed on routine administrative leave and the State Attorney’s Office reviewed the shooting as part of the standard procedure. The investigation into the exact sequence of events was ongoing.

If anyone in Bloomingdale Villas saw what happened that morning or knew Tyree and can clarify his movements, please share information.