Deputy Dean Bardes had pulled over 53-year-old Edward Strother for speeding when Strother suddenly attacked, pinning the deputy to the ground and punching him repeatedly.
Driving by, 35-year-old Ashad Russell saw what was happening. Licensed to carry a concealed weapon, he grabbed his gun and rushed to help. Bardes, struggling under Strother, shouted for Russell to shoot. After warning Strother several times, Russell fired three shots, killing him.
The State Attorney’s Office later ruled Russell’s actions justified, stating he had acted to prevent “imminent death or great bodily harm.” Sheriff Mike Scott praised him as a hero.
Not everyone agreed. Strother’s brother, Louis, questioned the outcome: “They are calling him a good Samaritan? Was my brother armed?”
The case closed without charges — leaving the community divided between seeing Russell as a lifesaver or questioning the deadly result.
