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Pinellas State Attorney: Deputy-Involved Shooting Was Justified

Police | Law Enforcement | Public Safety

The shooting resulted in the death of a Lealman man on Nov. 23.

LEALMAN – Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney Bernie McCabe has found that a deputy-involved shooting that left one man dead was justified because he “posed a
threat of death or serious physical harm” to the deputies.

McCabe’s decision came after an investigation into the Nov. 23 shooting of William J. Beavers, 43, of 4280 Mallory Drive, No. 101, at Duval Park in the unincorporated Lealman area. A neighbor in the next-door unit had reported a domestic altercation involving Mr. Beavers and Megan Anderson, 36. Pinellas County sheriff’s Deputies Tyler Green and Brennan Wede answered the call. Green shot Mr. Beavers several times when he advanced on the deputies with a knife. Mr. Beavers died at the scene. Neither deputy was injured.

McCabe’s office opened its investigation that day. McCabe issued his findings Thursday (Dec. 29) in a three-page report.

“As a result of the investigation conducted by my office, I have determined that Deputy Tyler Green was in the lawful performance of his legal duties when William Beavers advanced upon both he and Deputy Brennan Wede while armed with a knife. William Beavers’ actions constituted the forcible felony of aggravated assault upon a law enforcement officer. Deputy Tyler Green had reason to believe that William Beavers, in his actions with a knife, posed a threat of death or serious physical harm to him and Deputy Wede,” McCabe wrote.

He added, “Therefore it is the conclusion of the State Attorney’s Office that the death of William Beavers was the result of having been shot by Deputy Tyler Green of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office who was in the lawful performance of his legal duties and that the shooting was justifiable homicide.”

McCabe’s report also provided more detail into the incident:

Bernie McCabe | Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney | Courts
Bernie McCabe

“Megan Anderson asked William Beavers to leave the residence, which he refused. She then told him she was going to leave with their children. Ms. Anderson requested her neighbor, Wayne Landry, to drive her and her children to a motel. Wayne Landry made contact with Anderson and Beavers at the door of the apartment for purposes of taking her to the motel. He observed William Beavers holding Megan Anderson against her will. Landry called 911 to report the situation.

“Deputies Brennen Wede and Tyler Green responded to the call. Upon arrival, Deputy Green made contact with Landry and Anderson who, at this point, were both outdoors behind the apartment along with Anderson’s children. Deputy Green was advised that Beavers was still in apartment 101 and was likely to be violent and uncooperative.

“Deputy Wede and Deputy Green approached apartment 101 to make contact with Beavers. Deputy Green approached to the right side of the front door while Deputy Wede was in front and slightly left of the doorway. Deputy Green knocked on the front window with the intent to place a foot in the door if it opened to prevent them from being shut out. The door opened forcefully and Beavers appeared in the doorway armed with a 13 1/2-inch knife with 8-inch blade. At this time the knife was approximately 1 1/2 feet from Deputy Green’s face. Both Deputy Wede and Deputy Green unholstered their firearms and commanded Beavers to drop the knife.

“Beavers ignored commands to drop the knife and advanced out of the doorway toward Deputy Wede. Deputy Wede, believing deadly force to be warranted due to fear for his and Deputy Green’s life, did not fire his weapon due to concern that his angle of fire might strike others he knew to be in the area. Deputy Green having a position without risk of injury to others fired his weapon five times, striking Beavers four times, resulting in his death.”

For information about the Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney’s Office, go to sao6.org.

Deputy-Involved Shooting | State Attorney | Pinellas Sheriff | TB Reporter

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