Machete-wielding intruder shot and killed after deputy injured, Florida sheriff says

Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office deputies shot and killed a burglary suspect armed with a machete after he struck a deputy in the hand, causing severe injuries, the sheriff’s office said Thursday.

Deputies were called to a report of a home burglary in the 300 block of Richardson Way, just north of Fruitville Road near Interstate 75, at 9:29 a.m. Thursday morning.

“I have an intruder that broke in my home. He’s got a damn machete, and he’s a little whacked,” the homeowner told a 911 dispatcher.

The homeowner told law enforcement that he awoke to find the suspect lying next to him in bed, “saying I love you.”

“And he’s got my machete in is frickin’ hand,” the homeowner said on the 911 call.

The homeowner also told deputies the suspect was “using a baseball bat to sharpen a large machete,” the sheriff’s release said.

On the 911 call, the homeowner said the suspect must have grabbed his machete from another room where “a lot of knives” are kept.

When deputies arrived, the suspect was still inside the apartment armed with the machete. The suspect came toward the deputies with the weapon and struck one of them in the hand, the news release says. The deputy was severely injured.

At that point, two other deputies fired their guns at the suspect, striking him. The sheriff’s office said the suspect died at the scene despite lifesaving efforts by deputies and paramedics.

As of Thursday afternoon, the suspect has not been identified.

The injured deputy was awaiting surgery.

“As is standard in officer-involved shootings, all responding deputies will be interviewed,” the sheriff’s office said.

The investigation will be reviewed by the State Attorney’s Office.

This story was originally published August 18, 2022 at 4:39 PM.