The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office released a “critical incident” video Thursday showing a deputy fatally shooting a 36-year-old suspected shoplifter during a struggle outside a Walmart on Nov. 6, 2025, in the Goulds area just off South Dixie Highway.
The footage, published as the Florida Department of Law Enforcement continues its review, stitches together body camera and store surveillance angles from the morning encounter. Officials say the deputy tried to detain Kennedy Graham near the entrance after loss prevention workers reported a theft. The video shows a chase, a fight on the ground, and Graham running with a handgun before the deputy fires. The deputy, a 37-year-old with five years on the force, was not hurt. Investigators said a loaded firearm linked to Graham was recovered at the scene. The deputy’s name was not released pending the outside review.
According to the sheriff’s office, the incident began around 7:15 a.m. at the Walmart near SW 211th Street and South Dixie Highway. In the edited release, the deputy approaches from behind as Graham walks out. The two tumble to the pavement; the body camera is jostled but continues recording audio as the deputy repeatedly yells for Graham not to resist. Surveillance video then shows the struggle spilling toward the parking area for roughly a minute. Graham breaks free, appears to have a gun in his right hand, and runs. The deputy fires three times. Graham collapses nearby, and the deputy radios for help and begins first aid until fire rescue arrives. “What I saw was a guy in a white T-shirt running … I heard three shots,” a witness said in a clip recorded the day of the shooting.
Officials said Miami-Dade Fire Rescue transported Graham to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead later that morning. The agency’s narrated video includes slow-motion frames highlighting what they say is a handgun visible during the struggle and while Graham flees. Investigators also displayed the recovered weapon in a briefing room still. The sheriff’s office said two bystanders were in the parking lot when the shots were fired; neither was injured. The release does not include the deputy’s face or name, standard practice during active administrative and criminal reviews. Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz said the video was released to “ensure everyone sees the sequence of events,” adding that the office aims to balance transparency with an ongoing investigation.
Graham, identified by authorities as 36, had been recorded by store cameras walking through aisles before heading toward the exit, according to the narrative. The location, a busy Supercenter at 21115 South Dixie Highway, is bordered by surface lots and an elevated busway, and opens onto a morning rush that typically includes school traffic and commuters on U.S. 1. The images from outside show the deputy pinning Graham with his legs for several seconds as the suspect continues to thrash and the gun appears briefly on the ground. A caption in the agency’s video says Graham drops the firearm and then picks it up again before running. The edited clip does not include a clear, continuous body-camera angle of the weapon from first appearance to final recovery; investigators say they are reviewing the raw files in full.
Under Florida protocol, FDLE leads the criminal investigation into law-enforcement shootings, while prosecutors from the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office later decide on charges or clearance. Internally, the sheriff’s office conducts a separate administrative review focused on policy compliance, training and tactics. Those processes typically examine frame-by-frame video, radio traffic, physical evidence, autopsy results and officer statements. Thursday’s release included the deputy’s radio call for backup during the struggle and a short excerpt in which he can be heard ordering Graham to stop resisting. The edited package also features stills of the recovered gun and labels noting time stamps drawn from surveillance cameras positioned above the storefront.
Records released after the shooting last fall said the deputy encountered Graham as loss prevention flagged an alleged theft in progress. The sheriff’s office described the sequence as a contact at the doorway, a physical fight, the suspect arming himself, and the deputy firing. A November briefing by Cordero-Stutz emphasized that “circumstances could have gotten much worse” in a crowded area as morning shoppers arrived. Family members who gathered at the scene that day questioned the use of force; some said they wanted to see the full body-camera file rather than an agency-edited compilation. The department said unedited recordings are preserved for FDLE and prosecutors, who control broader public release under state records law while cases are open.
Past South Florida reviews of police shootings have taken months, sometimes longer than a year, before a state attorney’s report is published. Those memos typically analyze whether an officer reasonably believed deadly force was necessary to prevent death or great bodily harm under Florida statutes. If the case goes to a grand jury, proceedings and timelines vary. In this case, FDLE has not announced a charging recommendation or timeline. The sheriff’s office said the deputy remains on standard administrative status pending outcomes. Additional evidence likely to be weighed includes DNA or fingerprints on the recovered firearm, trajectory and distance analysis from the three rounds fired, and any statements from Walmart employees who watched the encounter unfold.
The surroundings provide a steady stream of potential witnesses. The big-box storefront faces a sprawling parking lot frequented by early shoppers and route buses that stop along the nearby transit corridor. Thursday’s agency video notes two civilians were within view of the shooting. Detectives have canvassed the lot and neighboring businesses for exterior camera angles, including possible views of the initial contact at the sliding doors. In the hours after the November shooting, a few shoppers described hearing sharp cracks, then seeing first responders cluster near the entrance. One woman told local reporters she watched as an officer stood with his gun drawn while commands were shouted; she asked not to be identified on camera.
Next steps include completion of FDLE’s interviews with the deputy, loss prevention staff and witnesses captured in the store’s surveillance area, along with forensic downloads of the deputy’s body camera and nearby cameras for sync. Once FDLE finishes, the case file goes to the state attorney’s office for a use-of-force decision. Administratively, the sheriff’s internal affairs unit will apply policy standards on de-escalation, foot pursuits, firearm draws and prone control. The sheriff’s office also said it would review whether tactics at storefront thresholds align with training directives for retail theft calls. A public report is expected when prosecutors close their review, at which point additional video may be released under Florida’s records law.
As of Thursday night, officials had not released the deputy’s name or any disciplinary history, and had not detailed whether the deputy’s handgun was equipped with a light or optic during the encounter. No bystanders were injured. The Walmart reopened after the scene was processed. Graham was pronounced dead at a local hospital the morning of Nov. 6, 2025. State investigators have not announced a public briefing, but the sheriff’s office said it would provide updates if major milestones occur in the case.
Authorities said the FDLE investigation remains active. The next public milestone is likely the state attorney’s decision memo or a grand jury announcement once FDLE submits its findings. Until then, the deputy remains on administrative status as internal and external reviews continue.
Author note: Last updated January 22, 2026.