TAVARES, Fla. — There is no body-worn camera footage of the deadly encounter between a Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputy and a 38-year-old man, LCSO said, as family and friends held a rally in Tavares Wednesday.
At 6:19 a.m. Sunday, a 911 caller reported a man had been stabbed in the neck, according to audio released earlier this week. Deputies with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and officers with Leesburg Police Department responded to 2415 Montclair Road.
Bystanders pointed deputies in the direction the suspect fled on foot, and a deputy located Timotheus Reed. During the encounter, the deputy shot Reed, who was transported to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced deceased.
The stabbing victim was treated at UF Health Leesburg Hospital, and released.
An autopsy performed Monday showed Reed was shot once in the front left side of his abdomen, LCSO Capt. John Herrell said.
Herrell also released body-worn camera footage that showed the aftermath of the encounter, but not the shooting.
Attendees at Wednesday’s rally that made its way to several government buildings in Tavares, demanded answers about what they described as “edited” camera footage and called for the release of the deputy’s identity. During the rally, Herrell released a statement to the media.
“Following the release of these items, questions have been raised regarding what some have referred to as edited body camera footage, implying that the portion showing the shooting was removed from the footage. That is not the case,” Herrell said. “The starting point in the footage that was released is the same starting point as what we have in the original footage, and we have automated audit trails that show no such editing took place.
Herrell also said, “At the time the call went out regarding the alleged stabbing, the involved deputy was in the immediate area, a very short distance away. As a result, he did not activate his blue lights, which would have in turn activated his body camera. He simply pulled up to the scene and was quickly pointed in the direction where Mr. Reed had gone.”
The deputy’s name has not been released. Herrell did release the deputy’s employment history Wednesday. The deputy was hired in April 2023 and worked in corrections at the Lake County Jail before transferring to patrol in January 2025. He received an “exceptional notice” for his work in the jail and was disciplined for an at-fault traffic crash.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the shooting, while LCSO has opened an administrative investigation to determine whether the deputy’s actions were consistent with agency policy and training, Herrell said.
