ORLANDO, FL — A former Orange County sheriff’s deputy will be required to write a personal apology letter as part of a $1 million civil settlement with the family of a young man fatally shot outside the Florida Mall in 2020. The agreement follows years of public outcry and legal proceedings surrounding the controversial incident.
The victim, 22-year-old Salaythis Melvin, was shot in the back by Deputy James Montiel while fleeing across a parking lot near Dick’s Sporting Goods. Melvin was not the suspect deputies were pursuing at the time. Body camera footage later revealed that Melvin was running away and posed no immediate threat when he was shot, sparking protests and renewed scrutiny of law enforcement use-of-force policies.
The settlement, finalized in July 2025, includes a $1 million payment to Melvin’s estate and his mother, Michelin McKee. However, McKee insisted that the agreement also include a handwritten apology from Montiel—a condition she described as “non-negotiable.” According to her legal team, she even agreed to a reduced financial amount to ensure the letter was part of the resolution.
“This was never just about money,” McKee said in a statement. “It was about accountability, about humanity. I wanted my son’s name to be acknowledged with sincerity, not just a check.”
Montiel, who was later fired from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in 2022 for an unrelated misconduct incident, has not publicly commented on the settlement. His termination further fueled criticism of the department’s oversight and disciplinary practices.
The Sheriff’s Office has not admitted wrongdoing as part of the settlement and maintains that the shooting was legally justified under department policy at the time. However, the case has become a flashpoint in Florida’s ongoing debate over police accountability, racial justice, and the need for reform in law enforcement practices.
Civil rights advocates have praised the inclusion of the apology letter as a rare and meaningful gesture in a system where victims’ families often feel unheard. “It’s a small but powerful step toward healing,” said one local organizer. “It acknowledges the human cost of these encounters.”
Melvin’s family hopes the resolution will serve as a catalyst for change. “We can’t bring Salaythis back,” McKee said, “but we can fight to make sure no other mother has to go through this.”
The apology letter is expected to be delivered privately to the family in the coming weeks.
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