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By Kevin Deutsch

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating a deadly deputy-involved shooting in which a suspect fired at Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies in North Lauderdale Saturday morning, authorities said.

The shooting happened around 7:40 a.m. after deputies responded to a domestic disturbance call in the 1700 block of South State Road 7. When deputies encountered the suspect, Mervel Jones Jr., 28, they “attempted to speak with him and deescalate the situation,” according to a BSO press release.

That’s when Jones produced a gun and immediately fired at deputies, grazing one of the deputies in the head, BSO officials said.

Deputies returned fire and wounded Jones. He was taken to Broward Health Medical Center, where doctors pronounced him dead.

The struck deputy was also taken to an area hospital and is expected to recover.

“Fortunately, the subject did not kill one of our deputies,” said Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony. “A millimeter to the left on the deputy’s head, and this would have been a very different day. We are talking about a 20-year veteran deputy whose life would have been taken. Thankfully, that was not the case.”

BSO’s Homicide Unit detectives, Crime Scene Unit investigators, and Internal Affairs investigators responded to the scene.

FDLE is the lead investigating agency. Per BSO policy, the deputies who fired their guns were placed on administrative leave pending further investigation, according to BSO.

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Kevin Deutsch

Kevin Deutsch is an award-winning crime journalist and author. A graduate of Florida International University, Kevin has worked on staff at The Miami Herald, New York Daily News, and The Palm Beach Post.