ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — FDLE is investigating after two Orange County deputies shot and killed a 57-year-old man who they say wouldn’t drop a knife.
It happened at the Isles at East Millenia Apartments on Lake Fountain Drive.
The man’s girlfriend told deputies he held her against her will with a knife throughout Sunday night until she escaped Monday around noon.
She called 911 from the apartment complex’s leasing office. She told deputies her boyfriend had been smoking drugs throughout the night.
“From her standpoint, she could not get out. So, she did not feel comfortable trying to leave,” said Undersheriff Mark Canty.
Deputies found the man barricaded in the apartment.
SWAT tried to negotiate for hours until deputies say he walked out with a knife
“He started moving toward the deputies. He refused to comply with their instructions, and they felt like they needed to fire their weapons,” Canty said.
Both deputies who shot at the man are now on administrative leave per protocol as FDLE investigates.
This marks the agency’s third deputy-involved shooting in the last three weeks.
Two alone on June 7.
Video shows Charles St. Fleur throwing punches at a deputy and later grabbing a gun off the ground. A deputy reacted by shooting him.
Later that afternoon, deputies tried to get Terry Washington Jr. to walk out of his room.
Washington walked out but wielded a knife at deputies.
An Orange County deputy shot and killed Washington.
Washington suffered from schizophrenia.
Now, at least four Orange County deputies are on administrative leave from these three shootings.
Undersheriff Mark Canty says it doesn’t take a physical hit on staffing levels, but these shootings have other impacts on their agency.
“It hurts you because you’re out here trying to protect this community, and someone is trying to kill you. And that takes a toll, whether you’re involved in it directly or your family sees it. When your family sees another deputy go through what these deputies went through, it brings a lot of trauma,” Canty said.
Undersheriff Canty says they will soon release the identity of the man killed Monday.
The agency is waiting on next of kin to be notified.
WFTV asked if there’s any history of calls out to this apartment or about this individual. The Sheriff’s Office says that it will be released later in its investigation.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2025 Cox Media Group
