Bradenton man shot by sheriff’s deputy has died. He left a threatening note, cops say

A 35-year-old man shot after he pulled a gun on a deputy has died from his injuries, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

Detectives said Thursday they had found a note written by Steven Belville in which he stated he wanted to kill the man he was stabbing when the deputy arrived at Belville’s West Bradenton home and then harm himself.

“The two had a history of not getting along,” the sheriff’s office said Thursday.

Belville was shot Wednesday morning in the 4300 block of 80th Street West shortly after 10 a.m. According to the sheriff’s office, Belville was stabbing his sister’s boyfriend when the deputy arrived on scene and then pulled out a gun, pointing it at the deputy.

The deputy shot Belville an unknown number of times, according to the sheriff’s office.

Belville was taken to Blake Medical Center in critical condition. He later died.

The stabbing victim, whose name has not been released, remains hospitalized in stable condition.

Amber Fredenburg, a friend of the victim, told the Bradenton Herald on Thursday that the victim was taken straight into emergency surgery on Wednesday and was not able to initially breathe on his own.

“They still have him on a ventilator but they are going to take him off it (Friday),” said Fredenburg, who noted the victim’s girlfriend was keeping her informed.

The Bradenton Herald made contact with the woman on Thursday, but she declined to be interviewed. Fredenburg named the victim, but the sheriff’s office declined to confirm that information.

Fredenburg said the victim remains in ICU, “but is expected to recover.”

Fredenburg said the victim had only been living with Bellville and his sister for about a month and she did not know Bellville personally.

The victim’s sister texted her and told her that her brother had longstanding mental issues, according to Fredenburg.

Deputies say Belville and the victim were arguing because the victim had not paid rent. Fredenburg disputed that account, but acknowledged that the argument had started Tuesday when deputies were called out to the home for a civil dispute.

“It went downhill from there,” Fredenburg said.

Belville’s sister made the 911 call, telling dispatchers that her brother was stabbing her boyfriend to death. She was not harmed during the incident.

On Wednesday, Sheriff Rick Wells said deputies have been to the address before, including as late as Tuesday.

“(The victim) did nothing wrong,” Fredenburg said. “(The sister) told me her brother just went crazy. I’ve been crying all night. I go from crying to numb to crying again. It’s hard.”

The deputy, whose named has not been released, was placed on administrative leave per sheriff’s office policy.

“The stabbing and subsequent officer-involved shooting investigations are still very active,” the sheriff’s office said. “No further information is available at this time.”

This story was originally published October 22, 2020 at 11:16 AM.