Jeremy Lett

Jeremy Lett, 28, an unarmed Tallahassee resident, was killed by Officer David Stith on February 4, 2015 following an encounter at an apartment complex.

What happened

Tallahassee police Officer David Stith responded to a call about a suspected burglary or someone disturbing residents at the Shadow Ridge apartment complex on February 4, 2015. He encountered Jeremy Lett, 28, who lived there. Stith later said Lett fought him after being awakened and that a Taser attempt failed; the officer then shot Lett five times. Lett was unarmed. The circumstances drew protests and demands for accountability, including concerns about whether Lett had been racially profiled. Reporting by The Washington Post examined Stith's account, the response to the shooting and the opacity surrounding some police videos. Separate local reporting described previous internal-affairs complaints involving Stith; complaints alone do not establish culpability in this killing. A grand jury ultimately concluded Stith's use of deadly force was legally justified, a decision that did not end the family's and community's questions about the need for lethal force.

Investigation & findings

A Leon County grand jury declined to indict Officer David Stith in February 2015, finding the shooting justified; this is not equivalent to an independent finding that no other response was possible.

What happened

Investigation & findings

Sources & records