HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — It was an unsettling scene for those who knew Vincent Morin, the man shot and killed during a deputy-involved shooting in Brandon on Wednesday.
"I cried for about ten minutes,” recalled Stephen Noorlag. “It’s hard to see veterans go through situations like this, especially with how this all played out. It was just really hard to see. It's hard when you serve with somebody, and you truly care about them, and something like this happens."
Noorlag said Morin was a US Army veteran whom he had the honor of serving with.
"Vince was the atypical leader that you would want within any infantry unit,” said Noorlag. “He was a bulldog when you needed him to be. He was caring. He really cared about the young soldiers that he led."
Noorlag called Morin a kind, caring, and exceptional leader, which makes the news of the shooting hard to process.
“I know for a fact Vincent would not hurt anybody. He would never intentionally go out and try to harm anybody. He truly cared about individuals,” said Noorlag. “Now, I don’t know what circumstances he was going through, what he going through mentally at that state, but the Vincent I knew would never harm anybody or intend to cause harm to anybody.”
"He was an extremely buttoned-up, extremely professional dude,” said Jedidiah Orr. “He definitely positively impacted innumerable number of soldier's lives throughout his career."
Orr said he also served in the Army with Morin.
"I guess initially shock, and then a growing concern about how the situation is being handled and how my friend is being portrayed by law enforcement,” said Orr.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said witnesses reported a man, identified as Morin, carrying an assault rifle and dressed in military tactical gear.
The Sheriff's Office said deputies gave him several commands to put down the weapon, which they said were ignored.
"After multiple commands to drop the firearm, three of our deputies fired on the suspect. Unfortunately, that suspect has since been deceased,” Chief Deputy Joseph Maurer said during a press conference Wednesday.
Maurer was asked if, at any point, Morin pointed the gun at anyone.
"He was holding the firearm, and I mean it's still early in the investigation, but he did not comply with commands,” Maurer replied.
FDLE is investigating the shooting.
While they work to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident, advocates want all veterans to know that there are resources available, regardless of what they are going through.
"If you're a veteran or you know a veteran who's in some degree of crisis, if they just remember 988. They can dial or text 988 and then hit 1. That automated system will get them to a veteran operator, who will then assess their issue, whatever it may be, whether it's mental health related, substance use related, domestic violence, whatever the case may be, and direct them to appropriate resources,” said retired US Army Colonel DJ Reyes.
"These should be freak accidents, not a natural disaster"
Dozens of Florida State University students and community allies marched through the streets of Tallahassee on Wednesday, demanding urgent action from state lawmakers on gun reform after a deadly campus shooting that left two dead and at least six others wounded.
