Video Captures Moment Good Samaritan Shoots Man Beating Deputy

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FORT MYERS (CBSMiami) – Cellphone video captured the moment an armed Good Samaritan snuck up on a man pummeling a deputy on the ground.

While the video was released Thursday, the shooting happened back in November near Fort Myers.

Lee County Deputy First Class Dean Bardes had been in a high speed chase with 53-year-old Edward Strother.

When the chase ended, and the deputy tried to subdue the suspect, he was tackled to the ground.

Kimberly Jenkinson was a witness.

"He threw the officer to the ground so violently it was awful," Jenkinson said. "He just started punching him, and hitting and hitting and hitting. I thought he was going to kill him."

As Strother straddled Deputy Bardes, investigators said Strother went for the deputy's gun.

Bystander Ashad Russell pulled a weapon and approached the two men.

The deputy begged Russell to shoot the attacker.

Investigators said Russell told the suspect he would shoot him if he didn't stop beating the deputy.

Then gunfire.

After the shooting, Russell drops his weapon as you see him walk away, appearing dazed.

The Good Samaritan had a permit to carry the gun.

The state attorney ruled he was not only justified in the shooting, but that he had every right to stand his ground. She called Russell a hero.

Strother died and Deputy Bardes is OK.