Dozens of protesters took to the streets Friday to send a message to the Volusia County Sheriff's Office two days after a deputy shot and killed an unarmed man in the face while serving a search warrant.

People began to gather around 8:30 a.m. to protest the fatal shooting of 26-year-old Derek Cruice. The protesters circled the sheriff's office in DeLand, making sure their voices were heard as they shouted "Justice for Derek."

While the protest was slow to start — nearly 200 people responded to a Facebook group invititation to the protest, but only about two dozen people showed up Friday morning — the protesters gained momentum throughout the morning.

Carrying signs and waving flags, the group talked freely about their friend.

"I just want to make sure my voice is heard, and Derek's voice is heard. That's all that matters," said Ruben Nazario, a friend of Cruice's.

"He was probably one of the nicest, most generous people I've ever met in my life," said Chris Joachim.

Investigators said they were searching for drugs within a Deltona home Wednesday, but were met with resistance. That, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office said, was why Deputy Todd Raible, a member of the SWAT Team who was working as a narcotics officer, fired his weapon.

But others inside the home at the time said that was not how it happened. They claimed no one inside the house was armed, and after a knock on the door, things turned chaotic.

To the protesters' surprise, Sheriff Ben Johnson met with them, shook their hands and listened to what they had to say.

"They have a concern. I felt as the sheriff, I should walk out there and meet with them and let them know we're investigating this thing," said Johnson. "We want the truth. It's a tragic event, and we're all saddened over it. But I wanted to let them know that, yes, we are thinking about it. Yes, we are looking at it."

The sheriff said he was disappointed hearing some of the protesters say they had lost faith in law enforcement, but stressed that deputies work hard to maintain that trust.

Johnson also said Cruice's death remained an active investigation, and he wants to get to the bottom of it.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has taken over the investigation into the shooting. Raible remains on paid administrative leave, pending the results of that investigation.

More than two dozen emails have been sent to the sheriff's office, and more comments were posted on Facebook.

Jonathan Brickman posted:

This wasn't a terrorist, or a cartel kingpin. This was a young, unarmed man, with NO violent record, who was suspected of a VICTIMLESS, nonviolent crime… The officer must be held responsible

Christopher Shreve posted:

The anger we all no doubt feel, to be channeled into dedication and conviction. We need to band together and cause some real movement here.

Alison Tackett posted:

As Americans we have a constitutional right to peacefully protest ... Change is not made by those who sit idle by in compliance, change is made by those willing to take a stand with their fellow citizens, PEACEFULLY!