Update
October 25, 2024
4:13pm
Video of body-worn cameras that captured this incident have been released by the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office.
Warning: Viewer discretion is advised.
Here is a summary of the video.
Elroy Clarke contacted deputies - saying that a tenant on his property was acting erratically.
Two deputies arrived at the property, and made contact with Clarke.
It is important to note here that deputies were told by Clarke upon their arrival that his name was "Ben Dey", not Elroy Clarke.
For the sake of clarity, we refer to Clarke by his government name.
Clarke told the deputies that his tenant was disturbing the peace.
"I thought I could help him, but I can't, " he tells deputies about his tenant.
"He's unstable. He's disturbing the peace. Peace must be maintained."
You can watch the video here:
Clarke tells deputies the tenant went into his home, after he told that person that they could not enter.
He goes on to tell the deputies that the tenant had been staying at the property for months, and had slammed his door.
"He needs to be evaluated or looked at or whatever you got to do."
Deputies ask if either the tenant or Clarke have weapons.
Clarke says the tenant does not have any weapons, but in reference to himself tells deputies "I am the weapon".
The deputies on scene speak with the tenant and others on the property - learning that Clarke could possibly have a warrant out for an arrest.
Deputies confirm that Clarke did have an active warrant out for his arrest.
Additional backup is requested.
Deputies approach Clarke about the alternate name he provided and the warrant.
Clarke was asked to put his hands behind his back.
He did not.
Clarke's level frustration is heightened but advised deputies that "it's about to be".
"I want to stay calm," Clarke tells deputies.
One of the deputies warns Clarke that he would be tased if he does not comply.
Clarke does not comply, stating that he is Ben Dey - not Elroy Clarke.
A deputy asks for identification, and soon after a date of birth.
Clarke does not respond to the request.
The deputy then tases Clarke, and is joined by the other responding deputy in tasing the property owner.
But Clarke is still mobile and the tasers seemingly have little effect.
The same deputy then pepper sprays Clarke with minimal reaction from Clarke - as he remained on his feet.
"I'm not Elroy," he yells to deputies.
As the deputy attempts to take Clarke to the ground, he warns deputies that "they were going to see something they don't want to see" if they touched him.
"I'm not getting on the ground," he tells deputies.
As a third deputy arrives on scene, he's warned by the other two deputies that Clarke had been tased twice and sprayed.
The arriving deputy begins to tase Clarke, and he is joined by the two deputies already on scene.
The three deputies tase Clarke to the ground.
You can hear Clarke's high-pitched scream as a deputy yells "Get him, get him, before I keep tasing you, you (double expletive)".
A heated exchange follows, as Clarke is able to fend off the deputies and stand on his feet.
Deputies are heard yelling "We don't want to hurt you. Get on the ground!".
Clarke continues to insist that he is "Ben Dey", and does not get on the ground.
Deputies advise that they will use a bean bag round.
Clarke is heard screaming "I don't know if I can f****** take it."
A bean bag round is fired, and Clarke remains on his feet.
Additional bean bag rounds follow, and soon after Clarke is seen charging at deputies.
That is when an actual gun is used, and Clarke falls to the ground.
The deputy shooting is heard through his body cam taking deep breaths.
"I just shot him," he says.
Through crying and tears he yells, "I didn't want to do that".
Sheriff Bill Prummell spoke about the incident during a press conference on Friday afternoon.
"In my 33 years, I've never seen that before. The bean bag round is usually something that would take somebody down, and he took three shots."
He says Clarke's warrant was for failure to appear on a trespass.
According to deputies, Clarke identifies as a sovereign citizen.
Prummell also explained Clarke's "sovereign ideologies" stating that "their belief system is that they don't have to follow the laws" - citing this as to why Clarke might not have appeared in court.
"I believe they tried everything they could to take him into custody."
"There are children who lost their father. This didn't have to happen."
Prummell says the deputy who shot Clarke fired 14 rounds.
Another deputy fired once.
Prummell says they have had an incident with Clarke before where he became loud, but not violent.
An intelligence bulletin was created to notify other deputies about that encounter.
Troy Johnson is the tenant involved in this case, and Prummel explained that the incident did start as a tenant-landlord disagreement .
A "large grow house" was also discovered, and near 400 plants were removed - along with weapons.
Johnson is in custody, and will most likely face other charges.
The deputies involved are on administrative leave, and are receiving mental health support.
Toxicology reports and the medical examiner's report is pending.
Update - 10:55 p.m.
Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell spoke to FOX 4 regarding the Deputy involved shooting in Punta Gorda on Wednesday.
He said the man who owned the property named Elroy Clarke called 911 to say he wanted a man named Troy Johnson off his property. Johnson had been living at the home for more than three months and was also doing work on the home.
The sheriff said when deputies arrived at the home, Johnson cooperated with law enforcement.
However, sheriff's officials noticed there was a warrant out for Clarke's arrest. It was a failure to appear on a trespassing charge.
The sheriff said deputies tried to arrest Clarke by using a number of different methods. However, nothing worked. Sheriff Prummell said Clarke lunged at a deputy.
"The one deputy finally got out a less-lethal shotgun that shot beanbag rounds," Prummell said. "He was shot with the beanbag rounds several times. Again, no effect. Shortly after he was shot with the beanbag rounds, he charged at one of the deputies. He actually got his hands on the deputy. The deputy had drawn his weapon and fired. So, two deputies did fire their firearms in this. Unfortunately, Mr. Clarke did succumb to his wounds."
See the full presser below:
FOX 4's Victoria Scott spoke to a person who referred to Clarke as a "brother."
You can watch her full report with him here:
Original reporting
The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office says it's investigating a deputy-involved shooting in a rural part of Punta Gorda.
Deputies are on Sandy Pine Drive in eastern Charlotte County. The sheriff's office says they are working an investigation, "which included an officer-involved shooting."
No other details are known at this time. Fox 4 has several crews at the scene.
We will bring you updates as they become available.
