FDLE Investigates Levy County Deputy's Shooting of Suspect in Dunnellon
A traffic stop that began with an out-of-county warrant ended in gunfire on a Marion County roadside, with state investigators now reviewing a Levy County deputy's use of force.
What happened
A Levy County Sheriff’s deputy shot a man Tuesday night after a traffic stop that began in Levy County ended in a foot chase through a wooded area near Dunnellon, in neighboring Marion County, according to WCJB TV20. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) is now investigating the shooting, as required for law enforcement use-of-force incidents in Florida.
Levy County Sheriff’s officials told WCJB the deputy stopped a vehicle whose registered owner had an active warrant out of Pinellas County. The driver initially complied but drove off when the deputy ordered him out of the vehicle. The deputy pursued the vehicle across the county line into Marion County, where the driver stopped near the 23,200 block of West Highway 40 and ran into the woods.
The deputy chased the man on foot. At some point during that chase, officials say the suspect pointed a gun at the deputy, who then fired, striking him. The suspect was taken to a hospital for treatment; his condition has not been released. West Highway 40 was closed in the area while Levy County deputies and FDLE processed the scene.
Why FDLE, not just Levy County, is involved
Under Florida law and standard agency policy, deputy-involved shootings are turned over to FDLE for independent investigation rather than left solely to the deputy’s own department. That is the process now underway here: FDLE agents, not Levy County Sheriff’s investigators, will determine what led to the shooting and whether the deputy’s actions were justified. No timeline for that investigation has been released, and WCJB describes the story as still developing.
What this means for Levy County
The incident did not occur in Levy County, the shooting itself happened in Marion County, near Dunnellon, but the deputy involved works for the Levy County Sheriff’s Office, and the case began with a traffic stop conducted under that agency’s authority. That means the outcome of the FDLE review, whenever it is completed, will reflect directly on Levy County’s law enforcement record, regardless of where the pursuit ended.
For residents along State Road 40 and the western Marion-Levy line, the immediate effect was a road closure and a heavy law enforcement presence overnight. WCJB reported the road remained closed while investigators worked the scene, though no timeline for reopening was given in the initial report.
What is not yet known
Several basic facts remain unconfirmed in the public record as of this reporting: the identity of the deputy, the identity and current medical condition of the suspect, and the specific charges, if any, tied to the Pinellas County warrant that triggered the original stop. FDLE has not released findings, and no timeline exists for when its review will conclude. Levy County Sheriff’s officials have not indicated whether the deputy has been placed on standard administrative leave, which is common practice following use-of-force incidents but was not addressed in the available reporting.
Florida & Cedar Key News will follow the FDLE investigation and update this story as the sheriff’s office, FDLE, or Marion County officials release additional information.