Lew Gary Tyree II, a 41-year-old African American male, passed away on March 4, 2014, in Brandon, Florida. Tyree, originally from Charleston, West Virginia, had served in the U.S. Navy and had been living in Florida for the past 20 years. He was a loving father to his two children, Morgan and Trevin, and was survived by his wife, Kathy Tyree, and a large extended family.
On the morning of his death, Tyree was involved in a tragic incident that led to his fatal shooting by deputies from
the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (HCSO). The incident began around 5:30 a.m. when Tyree was seen burning a pile of clothes outside his home. He then roamed the neighborhood carrying a large butcher knife, stabbed a cat, and attempted to break into an apartment. Deputies arrived at the scene and confronted Tyree, who was reportedly threatening them with the knife. Despite attempts to subdue him with a taser, Tyree continued to pose a threat, leading the deputies to open fire. Tyree was taken to Brandon Regional Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
The deputies involved in the shooting were identified as Deputy Steve Gutierrez, Deputy Marina Stroud, and Deputy James Maiello. All three deputies were placed on routine administrative leave while the incident was investigated. The HCSO stated that the deputies had made numerous commands for Tyree to drop the weapon, but he did not comply and made threatening comments from about five feet away. The State Attorney's Office reviewed the case as part of the standard procedure for officer-involved shootings.
The community of Bloomingdale Villas, where the incident occurred, was left in shock. Residents described the neighborhood as generally peaceful and expressed concerns about safety following the incident. The investigation into the circumstances leading up to the shooting was ongoing, with the HCSO working to determine the exact sequence of events and the reasons behind Tyree's actions that morning.
