SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. – A man who was armed with a shotgun while making suicidal threats was shot by a deputy in Wildwood Tuesday night, according to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies said they received a call around 9:39 p.m. from someone who said the man was intoxicated, had made comments in a phone call with a relative indicating that he wanted to harm himself and had retrieved a weapon and was loading it.
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The witness fled the scene in order to call 911 and meet with deputies to lead them to the man’s location near State Road 44 and County Road 153, records show.
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When deputies met with the man, they said he refused to put his weapon down so they tried to hit him with a Taser but that was unsuccessful.
A deputy shot the man as he “made a move” for the shotgun, according to a news release.
He was taken to a hospital for treatment.
The deputy who fired his weapon has been placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure.
Authorities did not provide details on where the man was shot or his condition.