TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Two Tallahassee Police Department officers were were involved in a shooting that injured a man on West Pensacola Street in October 2022, were cleared by a grand jury in Leon County.
According a document released Thursday by the Florida Circuit Court of the Second Judicial Circuit in Leon County, a grand jury determined that the two officers who shot De'Arius Cannon following a separate gang related shooting incident in the area of 2020 West Pensacola Street on Oct. 29, 2022 were justified and lawful under state of Florida law.
The document notes officers' body camera footage, a law enforcement expert along with Tallahassee Police Department personnel who were witnesses to the incident were presented as evidence to the grand jury.
Before officers shot Cannon, DeMario Murray was killed and eight other people were injured during a shooting outside of the Half Time Liquors store.
The grand jury said in its conclusions regarding use of force in the document:
"The officers on scene did precisely what they were trained to do. Upon hearing the hail of gunfire erupt, they ran towards the danger. We find that the officers encountered De'arius Cannon shooting into this melee acted lawfully and appropriately.
Upon seeing Cannon shooting, law enforcement announced themselves and gave him lawful orders to stop. Cannon chose to disobey their lawful commands, choosing instead to run towards the throng of people while still armed with a 9mm pistol that he just fired into the crowd.
Cannon proved himself capable and willing to harm others. The officers had no choice but to stop him, and they did so in such a way as to both stop the threat and not expose others to danger."
In December 2022, Cannon, was found not guilty of second degree murder, but guilty of attempted manslaughter by act and improper exhibition of a dangerous weapon.
