SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. - A man was shot and killed Friday morning following an hours-long standoff in Sumter County, Sheriff Pet Breeden said in a video statement posted to the sheriff's office's Facebook page.
According to the video, deputies responded to a home on NW 40th Terrace around 1:38 a.m. regarding a man armed with a knife and in mental distress.
The man's girlfriend and a small child were safely evacuated from the home, the sheriff's office said. The man then barricaded himself in a bedroom for several hours, where negotiations eventually broke down.
The sheriff said the man charged at SWAT officers with a knife, forcing them to shoot him. The man died at the scene. His name has not been released, pending family notification.
Sheriff Breeden said the investigation has been turned over to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), which is standard protocol with law enforcement-involved shootings.
The Source: A recorded video message with details on the shooting was uploaded to the Sumter County Sheriff's Office Facebook page on Friday, May 22, 2026.