ORLANDO, Fla. – A man was arrested Wednesday evening for fatally shooting a suspected diaper thief at an Orlando Walmart on Feb. 4.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office identified Lonnie Leonard, 51, as the bystander who shot Arthur Adams, 19, as he was stealing a shopping cart full of diapers and other baby items from the Walmart on Clarcona Ocoee Road.
Deputies initially said the man felt threatened because he thought Adams was arming himself.
"The individual acted based on their belief that the individual was armed in order to defend themselves," Sheriff's Office Capt. Angelo Nieves said on the day of the shooting.
Leonard is charged with manslaughter, possession of a concealed firearm and aggravated battery.
During his first court appearance Thursday in Orange County, Leonard's bond was set at $100,500.
Leonard will be represented by a public defender.
News 6 spoke to Adams' brother, Jeffrey Edwards, after Leonard's morning in court. Edwards said he is upset that it took two months for Leonard to be arrested and that he was granted bond.
Family of 19yo Arthur Adams says they're upset it took this long to make an arrest & are hurt Leonard could make bail @news6wkmg #News6 pic.twitter.com/uLCQFJPTPS
— Amanda Castro (@AmandaNCastro) April 6, 2017
"Me and my mom, we're going to keep fighting, keep fighting, keep fighting till we get our justice. We have to have the justice," Edwards said.
Adams' family has hired an attorney and wants to see Leonard be sentenced to life in prison, Edwards said.
"Did he have a gun on him? No," Edwards said. "It's a lie. (Leonard) is trying to cover up what (he) did and it's not going to work."
According to court documents, Leonard walked into the grocery store carrying his gun. While inside, he heard a commotion and saw two shoplifters run out with carts filled with diapers.
Deputies said Leonard chased after them to an SUV in the parking lot. Witnesses heard him shouting at them to stop. That's when he told deputies he thought they had a weapon. The report states, "they were posturing and reaching in their waistband and under the car seats."
According to the report, Leonard fired his gun, shooting nine rounds at the vehicle as it was driving away. The vehicle eventually crashed into two other cars.
But the Sheriff's Office said the surveillance video doesn't match Leonard's story. The report states he started pulling out his gun while he was running out of the store before he said he saw the shoplifters get to their car and act as if they had a weapon.
The report adds there was no evidence the suspects were armed and no reasonable belief Leonard should have been in fear of his life since the suspects were running away.
Edwards remembers his brother as a loving person.
"He always cared for everybody, regardless of what the situation (is)," Edwards said.