Authorities said deputies opened fire after a man holding a knife continued threatening a woman despite commands to stop.
CRYSTAL RIVER, Fla. — Citrus County sheriff’s deputies fatally shot a man Saturday after authorities said he held a woman in a headlock and threatened her with a knife, prompting an armed confrontation and a temporary shutdown of part of U.S. 19.
The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office said deputies encountered the man in the area of Northeast Third Avenue in Crystal River. Capt. Mat Baird said deputies gave the man verbal commands, but authorities said he continued threatening the woman. Deputies then fired, according to the sheriff’s office. The man was taken for medical treatment and later reported dead. No deputies were injured.
Authorities initially described the incident as a deputy-involved shooting and said the suspect had been taken into custody and was being transported for medical care. Later reports provided additional information about the circumstances, saying the man had a woman in a headlock while armed with a knife. Officials have not publicly identified the man or the woman.
The sheriff’s office has not released a detailed sequence explaining how the encounter began, how long deputies were at the scene before shots were fired or how many deputies discharged their weapons. Authorities also have not said whether the woman suffered injuries. Those details remained unavailable Sunday morning.
The shooting brought a large law enforcement response to the busy U.S. 19 corridor. Officials closed the highway between Northeast Second Avenue and Three Sisters Springs Trail while deputies and investigators remained at the scene. Motorists were asked to avoid the area as authorities worked around Northeast Third Avenue.
During the initial response, the sheriff’s office said there was no continuing threat to the community. The statement indicated that the person involved in the confrontation was in custody and that deputies had secured the scene. Officials did not report injuries to law enforcement personnel.
The fatal shooting follows another deputy-involved shooting involving the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office about a month earlier. On Oct. 4, deputies shot a 24-year-old man in Inverness after authorities said he emerged from a wooded area wearing a gas mask and failed to follow commands. Sheriff’s officials later said an object deputies believed posed a threat was determined to be a radio.
The earlier shooting was referred for an outside investigation, a common step after law enforcement officers use deadly force. Authorities had not announced Sunday morning what agency would conduct the independent review of Saturday’s Crystal River shooting or whether the deputies involved had been placed on administrative leave.
Officials also had not released the names of the deputies involved, information about the number of shots fired or any available video from the encounter. The relationship, if any, between the man and the woman also had not been disclosed.
The investigation remained active Sunday, with authorities expected to provide additional details about the confrontation and the official review of the deputies’ use of force as information becomes available.
Author note: Last updated Nov. 8, 2026.