BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office has released the identities of the two deputies who shot a man accused of pointing a flare gun at them after a robbery.
According to a news release, Christopher Anterio, who is a field training officer, and David Dixon, a K-9 deputy, are on paid administrative leave while the shooting is under investigation — which is standard in any shooting involving law enforcement.
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On Nov. 9, deputies responded to a robbery at a Sunoco gas station at 600 South Courtenay Parkway on Merritt Island, records show. The clerk told investigators that a man attacked her before taking off in a small, silver SUV, according to deputies.
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Investigators said they then received an anonymous call about a man with a gun at Rotary Park. Anterio and Dixon responded to the area, spotting a man in an SUV that matched the suspect description from the robbery, records show.
The man in the SUV — later identified as Matthew Robertson, 22 — told deputies he had a Smith & Wesson handgun, according to the release. Robertson then came toward the deputies, pulling what appeared to be a handgun from his hoodie, records show.
Anterio and Dixon had given several commands to Robertson prior to him pulling out the apparent gun, according to the sheriff’s office, and both deputies opened fire.
Robertson was hit and rushed to the hospital. Investigators said it was later determined that Robertson had a flare gun.
Deputies said they also determined that Robertson was the anonymous caller who reported seeing a man with a gun prior to the shooting.
He now faces charges of attempted robbery with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery and false imprisonment stemming from the attack at the gas station. He also faces four counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer with a firearm.
He is now locked up at the Brevard County jail.