VENICE, FLA. — The State Attorney’s Office (SAO) said it will not prosecute a man in a deadly Venice shooting on July 1, saying it was justified.
The SAO said that Aaron Bean had no duty to retreat within his own home and reasonably believed the force was necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm.
On July 1, the Venice Police Department (VPD) responded to an apartment on Vistera Boulevard after Bean called 911 to report that he had shot a man, later identified as 32-year-old Terry Lee Murphy, of Venice.
The investigation found that Murphy forced his way into Bean’s apartment while threatening to kill Bean and members of his family. Murphy then repeatedly shoved and struck Bean while holding one hand behind his back as if he were armed, VPD officials said.
The confrontation continued from the living room into a bedroom, where Bean retrieved a firearm and fired three times. Murphy fled the apartment and later died from his injuries.
Bean immediately reported the shooting, cooperated fully with investigators and voluntarily provided footage from a security camera inside his apartment, VPD officials said.
Bean acted appropriately following the incident by immediately calling 911, reporting his actions and cooperating fully with investigators, officials added.
In the end, the SAO decided not to prosecute Bean.
“Our detectives carried out their duty to conduct a thorough, impartial investigation, allowing the State Attorney’s Office to reach a determination based on the complete evidence and applicable law,” said Venice Police Captain Eric Hill. “While this decision closes the criminal investigation, we recognize the gravity of the incident and the loss of life involved.”
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