Body cam stops bullet, Volusia deputy survives Deltona shootout

Deputy shot in shoulder and leg during Deltona call, expected to recover

DELTONA, Fla. — Body camera video released by the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office shows the moments before and after a deputy was shot in Deltona on Monday, and the sheriff says the body camera likely saved his life.

The footage captures Deputy Jose Rivera and his trainee responding to a call about an earlier assault. Within moments, the encounter turned violent.

Investigators said 24-year-old Luis Polanco answered the door, briefly retreated inside, then came back out armed with a handgun. Authorities said he opened fire from just feet away.

One of the bullets struck Rivera’s body-worn camera.

“Thank God for his body camera. It takes a round dead center, through the body camera -- which we believe then ricochets through his shoulder. Another shot hits his leg,” Sheriff Mike Chitwood said.

The video shows blood pouring from Rivera’s arm as another deputy quickly applies a tourniquet.

Despite being shot in the shoulder and leg, Rivera manages to move with help from fellow deputies. He was rushed to a hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.

Polanco was not injured. He was taken into custody and booked into the Volusia County Jail, where he remains without bond. Authorities said he is facing two counts of first-degree premeditated murder.

Chitwood praised the deputies’ response, calling it a life-or-death encounter from six feet away.

By Wednesday morning, the scene in Deltona looked very different. Rivera was discharged from the hospital and greeted by friends, fellow deputies and community members who gathered to welcome him home -- celebrating the deputy who survived a gunfight and is expected to recover.

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Caroline Coles

Caroline Coles

Caroline Coles is an experienced journalist who brings energy, heart, and hustle to every story.