The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office this evening released a 15-minute video from body cams of two deputies that provides a remarkably vivid, startling look at the officer-involved shooting late last night in Daytona North that left 30-year-old Steven Barneski in serious condition after being hit by several bullets. (See earlier details on the shooting here.)
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the shooting. But the footage leaves almost no doubt that what started as a traffic stop for the execution of an arrest warrant turned with lightning speed into a critical situation as Barneski reached for a firearm from under the car seat, was shot, then turned the gun on himself. In a matter of seconds, deputies who had just fired their weapons in less than a second–three deputies fired what sounded like five shots–just as rapidly ramped down, went into defensive postures, then turned negotiators as they very quickly realized Barneski may be attempting suicide.
The deputies turned negotiators, pleading with Barneski with more clement than aggressive tones, then outright compassionate pleas, to put the gun down and spare his life. He was bleeding but conscious and aware throughout, and apparently in control of his weapon. In essence, the same deputies who almost took Barneski’s life after he threatened theirs sought to save it–and did.
The body cam video footage begins at 11:14 p.m. It’s from that of deputy Kyle Gaddie. By then Barneski’s wife has pulled into the driveway at 6262 Sabal Palm Street. The couple’s car is stopped in front of a house–Barneski’s house–in the dark but for their car’s lights and those of law enforcement, which include a patrol vehicle’s standard red and blue emergency lights immediately behind Barneski’s Toyota. (Other deputies at the scene included David Litchty, Jayed Capella, Jennifer Prevatt and Austin Chewning.)
Three deputies are on the passenger side of the car, a few feet apart from each other, one next to the window, another by the rear door, a third just behind the trunk, as Gaddie walks up to the driver’s side. “Get out of the car,” one deputy says.
“If you don’t get out of the car we’re going to take you out of the car,” another says. The deputies’ tone is firm but not belligerent or particularly loud. A Dog keeps barking not far away. At that point Prevatt’s voice is heard–one of the deputies by the car: “He’s reaching under the seat.”
The deputies then all yell out, “gun! gun! gun!” and a split second later fire at least five gunshots in a quick, simultaneous burst, but just as quickly stop firing as they back up. “Shots fired,” goes the call to dispatch.
A deputy yells out to Barneski’s wife to “get out of the car,” again and again, another tells her, “come to me!” She opens the driver’s side door and complies as a deputy handcuffs her briefly, all the while yelling out that “he’s still moving, he’s still moving!”
“He’s got a gun?” Gaddie asks.
“Yeah, he’s bleeding,” another deputy says. Barneski’s mother appears to be speaking to the deputies from the house. Barneski’s wife asks to go speak with her, but Gaddie is still securing her before he takes her to a patrol car.
“We need rescue,” a deputy says.
A deputy then says something that lends credence to a claim by Sheriff Rick Staly earlier today that Barneski may have been seeking a suicide by cop: “He’s got it to his chin,” the deputy is heard saying in an apparent reference to Barneski’s firearm. “Put the gun down,” a deputy yells. “Put the gun down, bro,” another yells.
“Steven, put the gun down, we’ve got rescue coming to help you, put it down, come on, just put it down, man, we’ve got ’em coming to help you. Put the gun down. You can smoke a cigarette, man, just put the gun down. Steven, put the gun down, man.”
“He’s got it to his chin, man.”
“Yeah, he’s got it to his chin. Put the gun down!”
“Steven, put the gun down, buddy!… we want to help you.”
“It’s not worth it, dude, come on, man, it’s not worth it.” Barneski is speaking, but too faintly to hear. “We will figure that out later, but let’s just put the gun down for now, man. It’s not worth it, dude. Come on. It’s not worth it, man. Come on. Take a second and breathe.”
Others continue to tell him of rescuers, of help. “It’s going to be OK, this is not how this has to end,” another deputy says. “We can help you. We’ve got an ambulance coming but we need you to put the gun out the window.”
Barneski’s mother then tells the deputies he needs help. They ask her to stay back and not distract them. “Steven, I love you,” she yells out. “You’re my child. Please!”
“Don’t do this in front of them man, it’s not worth it.”
“It’s a bullshit warrant man, it’s not a big deal,” another deputy tells him. (Barneski was facing a mere probation violation–he’d gone to a bar and failed a urinalysis, hardly the sort of thing that would result in more than a few days in jail and a judge’s lecture.) By then he had a cigarette in his mouth. The pleading continues from deputies and his mother. He appears to come close to shooting himself. The deputies try different techniques. “What’s up Steven, talk to me.”
Barneski asks for a deputy’s word. The deputies promise him: “You have our word, you’re not going to get hurt.”
“We’re not worried about jail right now Steve, we’re worried about you.” Another deputy asks him where he’s shot. “In the neck,” a deputy says. “We won’t hurt you, we will not hurt you, Steven.” They tell him he’ll be going to the hospital, not jail–if only he put down his gun.
Nearly 10 minutes in, Barneski throws the gun out by the right side of his car.
He puts a cigarette in his mouth. He raises his hand. He nods yes, when a deputy asks him whether he’s able to move, but then puts his hands down and says he can’t move. “Hold on, Steven, hold on, just keep breathing for me, man. Keep talking to me Steven.”
The footage switches to Prevatt’s body cam as deputies secure the firearm then secure Barneski, who seems incapacitated–he can’t move his legs–though at one point he also seems to be swiping through his phone. Deputies have to tell him to put the phone down. Deputies determine he has leg, arm and chest wounds. “We’re going to help you. We didn’t lie to you” a deputy says. “We’re going to help you, man.”
The footage ends. Volusia County’s Air One, the emergency helicopter, landed after Flagler County Fire Rescue personnel administered first aid, and flew Barneski to Halifax hospital in Daytona Beach, where he remains.
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Carol L Pagliuca says
Outstanding job FCSO
The Voice Of Reason says
Agree Carol. Sheriff Staly has instilled a strong grade of leadership in Flagler County. We are fortunate to have him and his deputies. Deescalation is very evident in their training. His tactics set a fine example for other departments. Plus, he’s very hand on, like Sheriff Chitwood.
Carol Harris says
The three deputies showed remarkable training, empathy and compassion in descalating the situation and keeping in control while working as a team. Con regulations Deputies, FCSO and Sheriff STAYLEY on a job well done. Thank you for keeping us safe.
MyTwoCents says
Wow!
Kat says
Bravo to the officers involved.
Concerned Citizen says
Something doesn’t sound right.
Three deputies fired 5 shots? Three? Did it really take Three deputies to fire 5 rounds at 1 person?
Sounds like some Deputies were a little trigger happy. And I hope that an investigation is forthcoming. Although I have little faith after they found no “wrong doing” for Anthony’s death. This Sheriff’s Office has some major issues to work out. It continues to have problems after being “an accredited agency”
Rich says
For someone who wasn’t at the scene, you sure have a vivid picture of what happened.
Just a thought.
HayRide says
I thought the same thing, like to see how this person would respond if put in the same situation, in the dark, with a criminal with guns, and others walking around , like his enablers
Concerned Citizen says
@ Hay Ride
@ Rich
Almost 18 years between Active Duty Airforce and Air National Guard. AFSC was 3P0x1. (Security Forces) 3 tours in the Middle East. 6 years as a civilian Deputy Sheriff then made the switch to Fire Rescue after I nearly had to pull the trigger myself one night. And realized I wasnt ready to take a civilian life. So I have been there done that and have the decorations to prove it. And am now thankfully retired with none of the effects my fellow service people are suffering from. So I’m not exactly talking out of my ass here.
My initial comments were taken from the article it’self. Did you read the article all the way thru? Flagler Live clearly stated “3 Deputies fired 5 shots” A lot of gun fire was exchanged yet Staley claims that his Officers were highly trained and acted appropriatley. Why did they all fire? Did one fire and the others just respond to it? I’m amazed that the suspect is still alive after 5 rounds being fired. A .40 caliber round isn’t exactly a BB.
Frank W says
So how were they to determine who going to fire? Do they stop, discuss it? Draw straws? They gave to shot.
Merp Merp says
@Concerned Citizen
Did YOU read the article all the way through? There were 5 plus deputies on scene and THREE fired. So they didn’t ALL fire. Last I checked, they have posted open positions for Law Enforcement Deputy on the SO website. You think you could do better, are better trained, know more? Go apply and do the job and show everyone how it’s done. I couldn’t do the job, but I also don’t pretend to be able to, online behind a computer.
JT says
Really ?????? Have a gun pulled on you in the dark – what do you think you are going to do ? If you don’t weant to get shot , then don’t pull a gun….. very simple
John F. Pollinger says
In these situations, there is absolutely NO time to discuss among themselves, who was to be the deputy to fire, who should be the deputy to keep his or her weapon holstered, or have any discussion at all. Each deputy saw a threat and each one INDIVIDUALLY reacted to that threat. This happened in seconds. You’re statement presumes there should have been a group discussion as to who should and who should not have used force. And it’s farcical.
Frank W says
Would you have had the deputies wait to see if anyone else shot before firing? They are trained to fire when lives are in danger, not hold a confab to see who was going to shoot.
Kim says
There’s always one person who likes to stir the pot. There were 5 shots fired, apparently none were lethal. I think our FCSO should be used as examples of the right way to handle things
Willy Boy says
Need to make handcuffs larger. Used see this problem constantly on the COPS shows they don’t show anymore. Need a faster ambulance. Deputy asks if he’s having trouble breathing as the guy puffs on a menthol and texts. The first deputies were doing a great job, and then some nervous nellie shows-up and starts chattering. Altogether well handled.
palmcoaster says
What can I say, I just worry about law enforcement young officers risking their lives 24-7 to protect ours! Thank you for your compassion in that dangerous procedure addressing this man. Hope he recovers physically and mentally soon.
HayRide says
another crime/shooting in Mondex, should we be surprised?
how does someone with a record have money for rent/groceries OR a wife
whats wrong with this picture?
the only life this guy knows is crime!
even after been shot all he’s trying to is smoke a cigarette.
Trailer Bob says
Right…cause there is never a shooting in Palm Coast…right?
Thousands of people live in Daytona North and most are good working people.
I live here, you don’t, that’s your loss actually.
Brian says
I wish that AOC, the Minneapolis city council, and all of the liberal anti-police morons in the country who want to dismantle police departments could be exposed to this example of why law enforcement is a vital part of every community. I am proud of, and grateful for, the Flagler County Sheriffs Office. And, being a Flagler Beach resident, I am compelled to add that I have the utmost regard and pride in our police department. We must not let the far-left whack-jobs drag this country into lawlessness and turmoil.
Frank W says
ROC, Minneapolis city council all know the police perform such actions far more than murder. But they don’t care about the heroic and humane actions the police take every day. They are simply anarchists far more interested in their ideology than serving the people.
azwiebel says
Concerned Citizen are you for real!
Training comes in to play not trigger-happy. Have someone point a gun at you and see your reaction. Maybe you should go through the training. Then go for a ride along it’s free and if you don’t soil your pants I’d be amazed
A. J. says
Why dismsntle the police dept. Does not make sence to me. Let me say most prople don’t know what it mean to dismantle the dept. It is allocating some funds to another oart of the dept. We do nerd the police dept. We do not need the white cops to kill people of color and get away with the murder. I feared for my life, I thought he had a weapon. I suppose people of color shouldn’t fear for our lives. Oh I forgot we are target practice for the police dept. They kill snd get away with murder. The blue code. Self is one thing unarmed is something else.Just saying. The guy shoot atleast 4 xs. Did not die oh he is white. They did not intend to kill him. If he were a person if color the family would bury. W.O.W.
Reinhold Schlieper says
Really? A bullshit warrant? A parole violation? And that required a traffic stop and immediate action? Once the police has the license of the car, could one not have waited to execute the warrant at a less confrontational setting? Of course, this entire matter is exacerbated by the Second Amendment freaks that insist that everyone be armed and dangerous. This confrontation appears to have gone relatively benign, but one wonders about different actors in that same setting: a slightly more brown culprit or a slightly more warrior type deputy?
Trailer Bob says
Another thing this video shows us is that the police are underpaid for what they are expected to do.
Great job guys. Proud of you all.
Artec says
Excellent work to FCSO I’m sorry that your weapons had to be discharged. I understand that is part of the job to ensure no one else has to get hurt or killed. Good job from going from a shooting mindset to a helping mindset.
Land of no turn signals says says
Tuff job,well done,Defund the police NO WAY.
HayRide says
“Land of no turn signals” that’s for sure, that’s funny and true
Ughh ughh yeah, I mean no says
Where are the gloves, who has the gloves, ok I found the gloves, hurry up and put the gloves on, I can get the gloves on, does anyone have some talcum powder.. Keep in mind there could be a second gun, he might have three guns, he could have a knife, or a chainsaw, he could have a rattle snake under the seat.. Meanwhile he is bleeding to death..