On Sunday, a 23-year-old man was shot by an Ocala Police Department officer while being transported to a mental health clinic. The incident occurred at approximately 12:40 p.m., just minutes after the police were called to the scene by the man’s family.
The man had been admitted to The Vines Hospital in Ocala, but he ran away from the facility before he could receive treatment. Law enforcement officers found him near the 5500 block of SW 27th Avenue, where he was behaving erratically and posing an immediate threat to himself and others.
As a result of his behavior, a police officer fired a shot, injuring the man. He was then taken to HCA Hospital for treatment in critical condition. Thankfully, no officers were injured during the incident.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is currently investigating the shooting as per protocol to determine all of the facts and circumstances surrounding the event.
