The footage, released Thursday, stitches body-worn and surveillance video from the Nov. 6 incident in Southwest Miami-Dade.
GOULDS, FL — The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office on Thursday released a critical-incident video from a Nov. 6 encounter outside a Walmart in the Goulds area that ended when a deputy shot and killed 36-year-old Kennedy Graham after a struggle and foot chase through the store’s entryway and parking area.
The release makes public the first official narrative and edited footage of the deadly encounter that unfolded around 7:15 a.m. at the Walmart at Southwest 211th Street and South Dixie Highway. Officials say the deputy, a 37-year-old five-year veteran, confronted Graham after loss prevention staff reported shoplifting. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement continues an independent investigation, which is standard in deputy-involved shootings. The video’s publication, Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz said, aims to address community questions and show the sequence of events while the investigation proceeds. No bystanders or deputies were reported injured.
The five-minute compilation opens with the deputy approaching Graham near the store entrance. The deputy’s body camera shows a struggle as he tries to detain the suspect; the camera is knocked away but continues recording audio and partial images. Store surveillance video then captures the pair grappling on the ground. After about a minute, Graham breaks free and runs. A second angle shows him sprinting with what officials say is a handgun in his right hand. The deputy fires three times while pursuing. Graham continues a short distance before collapsing on the concrete outside the sliding doors. “The cop was running behind him, and they shot him like three times,” said a woman who witnessed the confrontation but asked not to be identified. The footage ends with deputies rendering aid until paramedics arrive.
Authorities identified the dead man as Kennedy Graham of Miami-Dade County. The Sheriff’s Office says a loaded firearm was recovered at the scene and that the deputy was uninjured. In the video, investigators highlight bystanders visible on a garage-level camera, noting the proximity of shoppers during the gunfire. Officials say the deputy had been alerted by store staff monitoring security cameras that morning. The Sheriff’s Office said Graham attempted to flee and became armed during the struggle; whether Graham pointed the weapon or fired it is not shown in the edited video and remains under investigation. The deputy’s name was not released Thursday. Graham was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The Sheriff’s Office posted the footage as a “critical-incident video,” a format many agencies use to combine body-worn camera, surveillance clips, and a narrated timeline. Cordero-Stutz said the release reflected a commitment to transparency while FDLE conducts its review. The agency said the deputy will undergo the standard administrative process that follows any shooting. The Walmart where the incident occurred sits along a major roadway that serves Cutler Bay and Goulds; surveillance images in the montage show early morning foot traffic through the vestibule and adjacent parking area. Records from the day of the shooting indicated the call originated from store loss prevention staff who reported ongoing theft.
Under Florida protocol, FDLE examines evidence, interviews witnesses and involved personnel, and turns its findings over to prosecutors for review. The State Attorney’s Office typically then determines whether use of force was legally justified under state law. No charging decisions were announced Thursday. Officials reiterated that the edited video does not replace the full investigative file, which can include unedited body-worn footage, written reports, forensics and sworn statements. The Sheriff’s Office did not provide a target date for completion. The department said the deputy remains on standard administrative duty pending investigative outcomes.
Graham’s relatives have said his death was preventable and questioned the tactics used as the chase moved through an active shopping area. Community members who gathered near the store Thursday afternoon described a tense scene last fall and said the new video revived difficult memories. “It was chaotic; there were people walking in and out,” said a shopper who saw part of the struggle. Others who work nearby said they hoped the release would clarify what happened. In her statement, Cordero-Stutz said, “Regardless of the outcome, my commitment is clear: to be transparent with our community, to hold ourselves to the highest standards, and to continue working every day to earn and maintain your trust.”
As of Thursday evening, FDLE’s investigation remained active. Prosecutors are expected to review the case after FDLE’s report is complete. The Sheriff’s Office said additional materials, including full-length body-worn camera files, may be released once investigative steps allow. No memorial or public briefing times were announced. The next key milestone is FDLE’s findings, which the agency has not given a date to release.
Author note: Last updated January 22, 2026.