ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Deputies shot a masked suspect along East Colonial Drive after the man ignored repeated commands during a confrontation linked to a reported shoplifting attempt at a nearby Walmart, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
According to a news release, deputies were called to the Walmart at 11250 East Colonial Drive around 8:30 p.m. regarding a man attempting to steal items from the store.
Recommended Videos
A deputy then encountered the man just west of Lake Berge Road with a shopping cart full of merchandise. According to the release, the deputy gave repeated commands before deploying a taser, which was ineffective.
“At some point during that encounter, the deputy told the suspect, ‘don’t reach’ before discharging his service weapon, striking the man,” officials said in the release.
The unidentified man was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Two knives were recovered at the scene, deputies said.
The incident marks the second officer-involved shooting regarding shoplifting suspects at a Walmart in Central Florida in the last four days. On Thursday evening, an Osceola County sheriff’s deputy shot and killed a 16-year-old shoplifting suspect inside a Walmart on after the teen pulled a gun and was running through the store, officials said.