ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – The Orange County deputy accused of shooting and killing a 22-year-old man outside the Florida Mall last year is back on duty, according to the sheriff’s office.
A spokesperson with the agency said Deputy James Montiel is back on full duty and working in an investigative capacity in the office’s criminal investigations division.
Montiel shot and killed Salaythis Melvin in August 2020. Body camera video shows Melvin running in the parking lot before falling to the ground after Montiel fired his gun. The sheriff’s office confirmed Montiel fired the fatal shot.
[Editor’s note: The video below is extremely graphic and shows the moments right before and after Melvin was shot]
[MORE COVERAGE: New video doesn’t offer insight into what led to deputy fatally shooting Salaythis Melvin | Body camera video shows deputy shooting man in back at Florida Mall ]
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigated the deputy-involved shooting and turned over its findings to the State Attorney’s Office in November of last year.
Prosecutors are reviewing the FDLE’s findings and determine if charges will be filed against Montiel. The Orange-Osceola State Attorney’s Office has not released a decision on the case.