ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Five years after 21-year-old Salaythis Melvin was shot and killed by an Orange County deputy outside the Florida Mall , his family has reached a $1 million settlement with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

Attorney Carlus Haynes, who represented Melvin’s family, said the settlement, finalized in late July, was years in the making and marks a step toward healing for Melvin’s mother, Michelin McKee.

Haynes said McKee insisted the agreement include a handwritten apology letter from former deputy James Montiel, who fired the fatal shot.

“It was more important than the money,” Haynes said. “She left money on the table because she wanted that letter.”

Investigators said the August 2020 incident began when deputies approached Melvin near the Florida Mall. Authoritie

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