Officer-involved shooting in Daytona ruled a suicide

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - UPDATE (08/23): 

Police Chief Craig Capri says Shakyri Willis shot himself in the head during an altercation with police.

It happened in the 500 block of Bellvue Avenue in Daytona Beach Tuesday afternoon.

In body camera video you hear officer Chris Maher says, "Dude, drop the gun man!!! " Then you hear the officer fire five shots, and another shot off in the distance is heard.

Police say that last shot was Willis shooting himself in the head.

The Medical Examiner determined Wednesday the cause of death was suicide.

Chief Capri says for two weeks, Willis tried to get help for an ongoing mental issue, but every time was turned down.

Just hours before the shooting Willis went to a local hospital saying he was suicidal.

They told him to leave 3 hours later.

An hour and a half after leaving, the hospital police got a 911 call from a neighbor saying Willis had a gun in his backyard and was threatening to kill himself.

When officer Maher showed up, he says Willis pointed the gun at him so he was forced to shoot.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

The Daytona Beach Police Department has turned the investigation into the death of a 23-year-old man over the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

According to Chief Craig Carpi, Shakyri Willis died of a gunshot wound that appeared to enter his head on the left side and exit on the right. Capri said Willis was left handed.

The case is complicated by the fact that a Daytona Beach police officer, who has not been identified, also fired his weapon at the scene. 

According to Capri, officers got a call about a man with a gun in the 500 block of Bellevue Avenue around noon on Tuesday.

A caller told 911: “He pointed it down.  He said he is going to shoot himself and the girl is crying and screaming and she’s saying she’s going to call the cops if he doesn’t give her the gun. I’m calling you guys to get someone out here to handle this before somebody dies.”

Capri told reporters the first officer on the scene found Willis and his sister in the back yard of 556 Bellevue Ave.

Capri said video from the officer’s body worn camera shows the woman on the ground praying, and Willis pointing the gun at the officer and himself.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating to determine if Willis shot and killed himself or if the officer’s bullet killed him.

Capri said he showed the body camera video to Willis’ family and a local representative of the NAACP.

In a joint press conference, Capri and Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry urged the community to “remain calm” and “resist spreading rumors” about what happened.