The suspect who was fatally shot by a civilian while beating a Florida deputy has been identified as 53-year-old Edward Strother.

Strother was speeding on I-75 when he nearly hit Lee County Deputy Dean Bardes, who was assisting Florida Highway Patrol with an unrelated crash. Believing that the near miss was intentional, Bardes hopped in his cruiser and pursued Strother.

Strother then stopped at the Corkscrew Road off ramp and charged at Bardes as he was getting out of his vehicle and tackled him to the ground. He then began pummeling the Deputy Bardes, who struggled to maintain control of his weapon.

Several drivers stopped and acted as witnesses, but one still unidentified witness, a concealed carry permit holder, got out and warned Strother to stop beating the deputy.

Multiple sources are reporting that Bardes yelled to the Good Samaritan to shoot his attacker, which he did, striking Strother 3 times and killing him.

The unnamed Good Samaritan is being hailed as a hero by millions of people on social media, who are tired of the negative portrayal of police by some media outlets and groups like Black Lives Matter.

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