BODY CAM FOOTAGE: Cocoa Police Say Officer Saved Woman’s Life After Being Attacked By Knife-Wielding Suspect

By  //  January 17, 2020

Incident happened around 5:17 p.m.

ABOVE VIDEO:  Body Cam footage of one of the first police officers at the scene after the shooting took place (Sgt. Will Stephenson Body Camera footage)

BREVARD COUNTY • COCOA, FLORIDA  – The Cocoa Police Department has released the identities of the officer and suspect involved in a deadly shooting on Wednesday at Prospect Park.

Police confirmed the suspect killed on Wednesday as 55-year-old Renard Antonio Daniels. The Cocoa Police officer who used deadly force on Daniels has been identified as Ofc. Brian Fredette.

Fredette has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the FDLE investigation, which is policy for all police-involved shootings.

Police first responded to the incident at 5:17 p.m. when they received a call about Shortly after they arrived, Cocoa Police Department Chief Mike Cantaloupe says the officer allegedly witnessed the suspect attacking a woman with a “large butcher knife”.

Police confirmed the suspect killed on Wednesday as 55-year-old Renard Antonio Daniels. (Cocoa PD Image)

“Upon arrival, Officer Fredette saw a suspect armed with a large knife and stabbing a woman who was lying on the ground,” said Cocoa Police in a statement. “Fredette ordered the man to drop the knife. When the suspect refused, Fredette discharged one shot.”

Daniels continued to ignore the officer’s commands to drop the knife.

The suspect then charged at Officer Fredette in an attempt to stab the officer, according to police.

Officer Fredette continued to order the suspect to drop the knife, but the suspect continued to ignore the officer’s commands. Daniels then charged at the officer where Officer Fredette discharged another shot, causing the suspect to fall to the ground.

ABOVE VIDEO: Witness Cell Phone Video Shows Park of the Incident Unfold In Prospect Park Between Man and Woman.

Fredette immediately radioed, “shots fired” and advised the suspect was down.

Daniels died at the scene after Cocoa Fire Rescue attempted to render aid to the knife-wielding suspect.

The knife victim sustained injuries to her neck and was released from a local hospital, according to police.

Chief Cantaloupe, speaking at a Wednesday press conference, affirmed his support for Fredette’s actions.

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“The actions of our officer last night during this incident were what saved the life of the victim,” Cantaloupe said at a Wednesday press conference.

Officer Fredette joined the Cocoa Police Department in April 2019. He served in the U.S. Navy for 4-years where he was a military police officer.

“We’re going to get over this,” said Cocoa mayor Jake Williams Jr. “We’re going to get through this and move on because there’s a lot of great things happening in this city.”

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