Investigation continues into deputy-involved shooting

The Jan. 29 fatal shooting of a Lake Placid man by members of the Highlands County Sheriff's Office Special Response Team (SRT) remains under investigation, according to officials with the sheriff's office.

Maj. Mark Schrader couldn't give an exact date of when the criminal side of the investigation would be concluded, but said it could be the end of this week or the beginning of next.

"It's winding down," he said Wednesday. "Currently, we still have deputies on administrative leave with pay."

Once the office's Criminal Investigations Unit finishes, they will turn over their findings to the state attorney's office for review, according to Schrader.

At that point, a decision will be made to either bring the deputies back to work, or look into the matter further if the state decides to file any criminal charges.

After the criminal side of the investigation is complete, it will be turned over to the office's Internal Affairs division to make sure deputies followed all policies and procedures, Schrader said.

The victim, 60-year-old Rocky Allen Watson, was shot and killed in the woods behind Sunflower Avenue in Sun 'n Lakes after family members called dispatch saying he had just shot someone.

At 6 p.m. on Jan 29, the initial call came in that a shooting had just taken place in Lake Placid. Henry Bullard, 45, was sitting in his driveway and using his cellphone when he was shot across the chest, the HCSO said. He was taken to Florida Hospital Lake Placid's emergency room for treatment of a non life-threatening injury.

When Watson was found in the woods, he was reportedly armed with several swords and a firearm. He refused to put down his weapons and law enforcement tried to subdue him with a Taser, but that was when he threw one of the swords and hit one of the SRT members in the head, according to the HCSO.

The SRT then opened fire and killed Watson. Sheriff Susan Benton said last week at least seven members shot their weapons and 20 to 22 rounds were used.

Crime scene investigators and the medical examiner's office were working to determine the exact number of bullets that struck and killed Watson.

Schrader did not want to comment on that number since the shooting is still under investigation.

Investigators learned that Watson apparently suffered from a long-term mental illness, and family members had an appointment scheduled with a mental health professional but he allegedly refused to go, Benton said.