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Deputy shoots homeless man dead

A homeless man was shot and killed after he threatened an Orange County sheriff's deputy with a knife.

The deputy spotted the homeless man during a routine patrol at a gas station east of Orlando, about 1:24 a.m., sheriff's reports show.

The deputy began a conversation with the man that was "consensual in nature," said a sheriff's spokesman. At some point, however, the homeless man told the deputy he was carrying drug paraphernalia and a knife.

When the deputy attempted to secure the man and confiscate the knife and his other illegal items, the man punched him in the face and ran, reports show. The deputy fired his Taser, but missed, and then chased the man through the parking lot.

"Once [the deputy] reached the suspect, he pulled out the knife on the officer leaving him no option but to shoot him," the spokesman said.

The injured man died at a hospital. The deputy is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation.

Read the Orlando Sentinel report here.

Update: The deceased man has been identified as Bernard King, 47.

Full post as published by the 13th juror on April 09, 2010 (boomark / email).