"This was murder": Police account of officer's shooting of wedding guest disputed by bride's family and others

Daniel Patrick Knight in undated household photograph

WKMG-TV

Winter Park, Florida — The police account of the deadly capturing by an officer of a visitor at a marriage reception right here is being disputed by relations and others, CBS Orlando affiliate WKMG-TV experiences. The person who was shot was recognized by police as 39-year-old Daniel Patrick Knight, an uncle of the bride.

The household needs the FBI to take over the case and the officers to be charged and arrested, WKMG says.

"There have been plenty of allegations … made by the Winter Park Police Division that we discover unfounded and with out benefit. We're on the lookout for transparency on this case. We do really feel that this was homicide," stated Pastor Carl Soto, co-founder and vice chairman of Black Lives Matter Restoration Polk Inc.

The incident unfolded when officers responded to the Winter Park Occasions Focus on 9:30 p.m. Saturday after receiving a 911 name from somebody who stated a person was harassing visitors. Knight's household claims the caller was working on the occasion.

"He is making an attempt to beat individuals up. He is yelling," the caller stated. "He is grabbing an older girl and shoving her," stated the 911 caller. "He is grabbing individuals's necks and like, it is an older girl. I feel it is his mother."

Police in Florida say a visitor at a marriage reception was shot and killed by an officer responding to a disturbance name a couple of man assaulting different visitors.

WKMG

Soto stated the household would not know why the girl made the decision however describes her allegations as "baseless" and "meritless."

"We listened to that 911 name. We're within the technique of making an attempt to find this this girl who made this name. All of the witnesses that I spoke to indicated that (Knight) was not doing something of that kind," Soto stated. "There's a report that this girl might have had a disagreement with one or two of the patrons that have been there on the reception, and that will have pissed her off to the purpose the place she felt she wanted to name 911."

Patricia Keeby, Knight's mom and the older girl the household assumes the caller was referring to, stated her son did not do something mistaken.

"He was such a loving man. He did not do nothing to me. I requested him to take a seat me down as a result of my ft was hurting and that is why he hugged me — to take a seat me down," Keeby stated, including that she was shocked the 911 caller reported a person was grabbing her neck.

"He did not do nothing to me. I haven't got any bruises. I haven't got any scratches," Keeby stated.

In response to Winter Park police, arriving officers tried to separate Knight from one other visitor. However, police stated, Knight punched an officer within the face and knocked him unconscious. A second officer stated he then deployed a Taser on Knight, to no avail.

Investigators stated Knight knocked that officer to the bottom, prompting him to attract his gun and fireplace.

Knight died that evening in a hospital.

Relations say that story would not add up and assert no officer was knocked unconscious.

The household gave WKMG video it says reveals Knight dancing on the reception shortly earlier than the capturing.

"Numerous these statements that have been made by the Winter Park Police Division doesn't add up," stated Soto, the pastor. "Dancing. Having an excellent time. And I did not know that a being a black man dancing at a reception justifies homicide."

Knight's niece was traumatized.

"He was killed in entrance of me. His blood was throughout my marriage ceremony costume," recalled a crying Janisha Paul. "I am a nurse. I am a registered nurse. Numerous the visitors that have been there have been additionally in healthcare. They assisted in doing every thing that they might to assist him and I want that he was right here."

WKMG requested police physique digicam video however the station was advised it isn't being launched but as a result of it is a part of the continuing investigation.

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