Army veteran gunned down by Florida deputies

Warning: This compilation of footage, provided by Hillsborough Co. Sheriff's Office shows a US military veteran being shot and killed by police. While not especially graphic in nature, this subject matter hits close to home, and viewer discretion is advised. On 23 April 2025, at approximately 0725 local time in Brandon, Florida, deputies from the Sheriff's Office responded to reports regarding a man dressed in fatigues, a plate carrier and carrying a rifle. The area was a busy intersection, near both a school and large storefronts. They located the suspect, one Vincent Tyler Morin, and told him repeatedly to drop the rifle. He did not comply. At 0738, as shown in this compilation of bodycam and aerial unit footage, three deputies opened fire and struck Morin multiple times. Although first aid was rendered on-scene, Morin died at an area hospital. The subject, Vincent Tyler Morin, was a US Army vet, discharged at the rank of Staff Sergeant after tours as an infantryman in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Friends report that Morin struggled with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and his behavior and equipment shown here conform with his deployment experience. Although records show that Morin was arrested twice before this incident, the arrests were for trespassing and marijuana possession. Neither are considered violent offenses. Whether he was in the midst of a mental health crisis or trying to make some type of statement will now never be truly known. This is a very controversial shoot, to say the least. While open carry of a weapon is not currently legal in Florida outside of certain prescribed activities, such as hunting or fishing, it's important to note that at no point did Morin actually raise or brandish the rifle. Furthermore, no attempts to communicate or de-escalate with Morin were made. The aerial unit makes a reference to "less lethal" but there is no indication that such force was used. So what happened here? Context is important. As of the time of this incident, it had been less than a week since a multi-suspect active shooter incident in Tallahassee, Florida. But with the caveat that I don't know them personally, I think this has more to do with the deputies who responded. One was a Lieutenant with the agency, with 35 years on the job. The other two were rookies by comparison, with just over a year for one and six months for the other. Therefore, what we possibly have here is a man who doesn't want 35 years of service capped off by losing a gunfight before 8 AM on a Wednesday, and two others who are so new to what they're doing they still see it as a black-and-white Academy exercise. I've seen this much before; trainees who think that because a rifle is in play in the scenario, they have to go lethal. Also, neither video nor reports released at this time make it clear who fired first, but incidents of sympathetic fire among police officers are well-known and documented. Even if the lieutenant was not the first one to shoot, it's not without the realm of possibility that they were reacting to each other and not Morin's actions (or lack thereof). These are just theories, and I am admittedly not without my biases. However, I think it's fairly objective to say that Morin was a veteran who needed help, and deserved a fairer chance to get it than this. The biggest takeaway is to check on your people, and do it often. There's no harm or dishonor in giving or needing help dealing with PTSD, but it's nothing but a shame for a life to end like this, for nothing. Dial 988, option 1 or text 838225 for the Veterans' Crisis Hotline.