BRADENTON, Fla. (WWSB) – A Bradenton police officer who shot and killed a man during a March 10 search warrant execution has returned to full duty after the State Attorney’s Office determined the use of deadly force was lawful and justified, Police Chief Josh Cramer said Friday.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement completed its independent investigation into the shooting of Willie Tyrone Bell, 56, and provided its findings to the State Attorney’s Office, which concluded the officers’ actions were justified under Florida Statute Sections 782.02 and 776.051. Officer Jaden Reppi, who had been placed on administrative leave during the investigation, was returned to duty.
On the morning of March 10, the Bradenton Police Department’s Narcotics Unit, with assistance from the SWAT Team, was executing a high-risk search warrant at Bell’s home in the 300 block of 10th Avenue West. Intelligence gathered before the search established probable cause that drug sales occurred at the home and that at least one weapon — a revolver — was inside…