On the morning of November 14, on Interstate 75 near Estero in Lee County, Florida, Lee County Sheriff’s Deputy First Class Dean Bardes was assisting Florida Highway Patrol troopers at the scene of a traffic crash when an unrelated vehicle sped past along the highway shoulder at a high speed.
The man behind the wheel, 53‑year‑old Edward Strother, refused to make a stop following a short chase before he stopped on an off‑ramp. Bardes then exited his patrol cruiser to arrest Strother when the suspect attacked, striking the deputy to the ground. Strother also hit the deputy several times and tried to grab his service weapon, according to official accounts.
Bardes reportedly shouted for help as he lay on the ground and the attack continued, a scene that was captured in a later released cellphone footage.
At the time of the attack on the officer, 35-year-old Ashad Russell, a Florida resident and licensed concealed-carry holder, found himself at the scene and intervened without hesitating.
Russell got out of his vehicle and came toward with a gun, telling Strother twice to stop, according to witnesses and authorities. Strother did not comply and Bardes, who was still pinned to the ground, called out to Russell and pleaded with him to shoot his attacker. Three shots rang out from Russell’s gun as the attack raged on.
Strother was shot in the neck and upper torso, and allegedly, it was the third shot that ended his life. He was pronounced dead at the hospital where he was taken following the incident.
After discharging his weapon, Russell,who told authorities he was in a complete shock after the shooting, dropped his firearm and returned to his vehicle where he stayed until other officers arrived at the scene.
Deputy Bardes only sustained minor injuries and was treated and later released from the hospital.
In the days following the event, prosecutors examined the statements of witnesses and cellphone footage to determine if Russell’s behavior was criminal or legally justified.
On March 15, the State Attorney’s Office announced that no charges would be filed, finding that Russell’s use of force was lawful and was the only means to stop an immediate threat of serious bodily harm to the deputy.
The sheriff of Lee County, Mike Scott, publicly praised Russell for his intervention. In a social media post, he referred to Russell as “a hero who recognized the imminent threat and acted decisively to protect another human being.”
Law enforcement officials said Strother had an active arrest warrant for failing to appear at a pretrial hearing in an earlier assault on a hospital security guard.
Neighbors later said his behavior was bizarre and he was acting erratically. They feared he was on the verge of a mental breakdown in the days leading up to the attack.
Strother’s family questioned if deadly force was necessary, but authorities said the evidence showed clearly that he was a “substantial and immediate threat” to Deputy Bardes. Prosecutors cited Florida’s “stand your ground” law, which sanctions the use of force to stop a perceived threat of death or serious bodily injury, among the reasons that Russell’s conduct was considered justified.
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