Bodycam shows homicide suspect pointing gun at deputy, pulling trigger in Charlotte County

CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. —

The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office released bodycam footage of a homicide suspect attempting to shoot a deputy during a February arrest.

CCSO received a tip that two suspects in a Sarasota County burglary were driving through Charlotte County in a rental car on Feb. 20.

Deputies stopped the vehicle near Harbor Boulevard and Tamiami Trail after witnessing a traffic violation. The driver was identified as Amy Lee, 41, and the passenger, who was later identified as 51-year-old Brian Hewson, refused to provide his identification, according to CCSO.

Neither Lee nor Hewson complied with the deputy's commands to exit the vehicle until they were told they would be arrested for obstruction, the sheriff's office said in a news release.

According to CCSO, a member of the Strategic Targeted Area Response unit ran a background check on Lee. They found a 2024 arrest in Lee County on multiple felony charges, and in those cases, Hewson was a co-defendant. Deputies learned Hewson had multiple warrants for his arrest.

CCSO said Hewson immediately resisted deputies' attempts to arrest him, and the STAR member drew his agency-issued stun gun and gave a warning before deploying it.

According to the sheriff's office, Hewson pulled a concealed firearm and pointed it directly at the deputy. He pulled the trigger; however, even though the weapon was loaded, there wasn't a round in the chamber, so the gun didn't fire.

The deputy then discharged more stun gun probes, and Hewson tried to re-rack the firearm as they took effect. According to CCSO, Hewson was unable to maintain control of the gun due to the neuromuscular incapacitation, and deputies were able to secure it.

"If he had stopped to switch to his firearm, he may not be standing here today," said Chris Hall, Charlotte County Sheriff's Office public information officer.

In addition to the firearm, investigators found two police badges, fentanyl, more than $1,500 in cash, and ammunition in the car.

Neighbors near Hewson's home off Gleason Parkway and Pelican Boulevard in Cape Coral, like Laurie Bonaparte, expressed disbelief, saying off-camera, "You really don’t know who your neighbors are."

Hewson was arrested for the multiple warrants. One of the warrants included a homicide in Pennsylvania, another for failure to appear in Pennsylvania, and one for charges in Lee County related to trafficking stolen property.

Hewson was charged with the 2012 murder of Stephen Lepore in Pennsylvania. In 2023, investigators discovered Lepore's remains buried at a property in Pennsylvania. Police said Lepore was shot in the back of the head following a feud with Hewson over a $15,000 debt.

"We have some serious concerns that foul play was involved, and that was the case with Mr. Lepore," said Chief Chris Wagner of Pocono Mountain Regional Police in 2023.

CCSO said Hewsonis being held at the Charlotte County Jail without bond as Monroe County, Pennsylvania's state attorney says he is working on extraditing him to face the murder charge.

After the Charlotte County incident, Hewson is facing the following charges:

• Aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer (for intentionally pointing a firearm at a deputy)
• Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
• Resisting with violence
• Possession of a controlled substance (CCSO said 1.1 grams of fentanyl were found in the vehicle)
• Possession of drug paraphernalia

Click on the player below to watch the bodycam video from the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office.

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