A yr after Brevard County sheriff’s deputies carried out a mistaken site visitors cease that left two Cocoa teens dead, members of the family will memorialize the pair and name for justice.
“We don’t need them, the sheriff, the world, to neglect about what occurred. We’re nonetheless preventing for justice and we gained’t allow them to neglect about them,” mentioned Quasheda Pierce, the mom of 18-year-old Honest Pierce, who, together with A.J. Crooms, 16, was shot to death Nov. 13, 2020 by a Brevard County sheriff’s deputy. Deputies thought that they had positioned a stolen automobile from earlier within the day.
Pals, household and supporters are anticipated to mark the one-year anniversary of the capturing at 3 p.m. Saturday at Anderson Park, 501 Fiske Blvd, Cocoa. There can be a cookout and a balloon launch held to honor the kids.
“It’s been a yr since their demise and we’re nonetheless preventing for justice. Nevertheless it’s been hell. Somedays I don’t know if I’m coming or going. It’s by no means going to be over till we get justice. We don’t need this to occur to anyone else’s little one,” Pierce mentioned.
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Investigators mentioned Pierce was a backseat passenger in a automotive pushed by A.J. when two Brevard County deputies adopted them by way of a Cocoa neighborhood on Nov. 13, 2020. Deputies had mistaken the automobile for a stolen automotive, regardless of differing tags, reviews present.
The 2 died within the volley of bullets unleashed on the automobile by Deputy Jafet Santiago-Miranda.
The deputy advised investigators he was in worry for his life.
The shootings were investigated by the Florida Division of Legislation Enforcement, which launched its findings to 18th Judicial Circuit State Lawyer Phil Archer in February. Archer decided the deputy’s use of power was justified and he was cleared of any prison wrongdoing.
Final month, Santiago-Miranda was found dead in his Osceola dwelling. In keeping with the incident report from the St. Cloud Police Division, his physique was found by his sister on a Sunday morning within the bathtub at his dwelling round 10:48 a.m. Investigators mentioned the deputy might have collapsed whereas having a shower. There have been no rapid indicators of trauma or weapons concerned, officers wrote within the incident report.
Earlier protection:Brevard deputy involved in Cocoa shooting found dead in Osceola home
Medical experts are awaiting toxicology outcomes earlier than issuing a ultimate discovering within the deputy’s reason behind demise.
Pierce mentioned the deputy’s demise is not going to cease her lawsuit from transferring ahead.
“It isn’t simply in regards to the deputy, sure, that was part of it. However we’re trying on the entire system. We nonetheless have a case and can be pursuing justice,” she mentioned.
The third individual within the automotive, 20-year-old Jaquan Kimbrough-Rucker, who said there was loud music booming within the automotive as Santiago-Miranda shouted instructions to cease the automotive, has been arrested a number of occasions since that fateful day.
Information present that after talking publicly in regards to the capturing, he was arrested on drug fees by the Sheriff’s Workplace’s Gangs and Main Epidemic of Violence Enforcement Response activity power. A number of of the drug instances are nonetheless pending.
For the reason that capturing, there have been protests because the dad and mom of the kids — Pierce, Tasha Strachan, who’s A.J.’s mom, and Cynthia Greene, aunt and adoptive mom of Honest — sought authorized treatments.
Pierce and Strachan employed high-profile lawyer Benjamin Crump to sue the Sheriff’s Workplace and Santiago-Miranda. The federal instances are nonetheless pending.
J.D. Gallop is a Legal Justice/Breaking Information Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Gallop at 321-917-4641 or jgallop@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @JDGallop.
