On the morning of November 14, on Interstate 75 near Estero, Florida, Deputy First Class Dean Bardes was assisting Florida Highway Patrol at a crash scene when a speeding vehicle drove along the highway shoulder.

The driver, 53-year-old Edward Strother, initially refused to stop, leading to a brief chase before he pulled over on an off-ramp. Bardes exited his patrol cruiser to arrest him when Strother attacked, striking the deputy and attempting to grab his service weapon.

As the attack continued, Bardes shouted for help. The confrontation was later captured on cellphone footage, showing the severity of the assault.

At the scene, 35-year-old Ashad Russell, a licensed concealed-carry holder, intervened. He confronted Strother with a gun and warned him to stop. Bardes, still pinned, pleaded with Russell to use his weapon.

Russell fired three shots, hitting Strother in the neck and upper torso. Strother was transported to a hospital but was pronounced dead. Russell, shocked, then stayed in his vehicle until law enforcement arrived.

Deputy Bardes sustained only minor injuries and was treated at a hospital. Prosecutors reviewed witness statements and footage to determine if Russell’s actions were legally justified.

On March 15, the State Attorney’s Office announced no charges would be filed, ruling that Russell’s use of force was lawful under Florida’s “stand your ground” law, as it stopped an immediate threat of serious harm to the deputy. Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott called Russell a “hero” for his decisive action.

Authorities noted Strother had an active arrest warrant and had been behaving erratically in the days prior. While his family questioned the necessity of deadly force, evidence confirmed Strother posed a substantial and immediate threat to Deputy Bardes, making Russell’s intervention legally justified.