Deputies responded at around 9:45 a.m. to 911 calls reporting a man, Verdone, behaving erratically and running in and out of traffic near the Marathon Gas station. Verdone yelled at people near the locked entrance to the convenience store, which he also tried to enter before the deputy's arrival. Verdone approached the deputy as he was exiting his cruiser. Verdone advanced with a knife, and the deputy shot and killed him.
Agency: Citrus County Sheriff's Office
Motive: Erratic behavior
Confrontation Type: Mental Health/Welfare Check
Service Call: Yes
Body Camera: no
Official Disposition: Pending investigation
Victim Name: Steven Verdone
Death Date: January 22, 2021
County: Citrus
Geography: Suburban
Gender: Male
Race: White
Cause of Death: Gunshot
Criminal Charges: No known charges
Mental Illness: Unknown
Armed: Allegedly Armed
Weapon: knife
Threat Level: other
Fleeing: not fleeing
Washington Post Database ID: 6544