Bodycam shows deadly deputy shooting of armed man outside Clermont home | FOX 35 Orlando
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Bodycam shows deadly deputy shooting of armed man outside Clermont home

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Published  April 22, 2025 10:15pm EDT
Lake County
FOX 35 Orlando

Deadly doorway shooting in Lake County

An officer-involved doorway shooting with a mother and two young children on the other side leaves one dead. FOX 35's Randi Hildreth has more on the investigation.

The Brief

    • Newly released bodycam footage shows deputies fatally shooting Eric Escobar, who appeared to reach for a gun outside a Clermont home.
    • Escobar was reported acting erratically; a 911 caller initially thought he only had a phone.
    • The state is investigating the shooting, which occurred near a mother and her children inside their home.

CLERMONT, Fla. - Newly released bodycam footage shows deputies fatally shooting Eric Escobar, who appeared to reach for a gun outside a Clermont home.

Deputies said man was acting erratically

What we know:

Newly released body camera footage and 911 audio reveal the tense moments leading up to a fatal deputy-involved shooting in Lake County, Florida. The incident unfolded outside a Clermont home where a mother and her children were reportedly inside, alarmed by a man’s erratic behavior on their street.

The man, 39-year-old Eric Escobar, was reportedly acting suspiciously in the Via Roma Circle neighborhood, prompting a resident to call 911. Deputies responded to the call and encountered Escobar, who they say was armed and refused to comply with orders.

The video footage shows deputies confronting Escobar in the street. A deputy asks, "Do you have a gun?" to which Escobar responds, "Yes I have two of them." As the situation escalates, Escobar appears to reach for a firearm, prompting law enforcement to open fire.

Escobar died at the scene. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the incident, as is standard in officer-involved shootings.

What we don't know:

Several questions remain unanswered following the release of the footage. It is still unclear what led Escobar to act erratically that day and why he approached the homes in the neighborhood. Authorities have not yet released toxicology results or confirmed whether Escobar had a criminal history or known mental health issues.

Investigators also haven’t clarified whether Escobar had actually tried to force entry into the home or simply stood at the door. And while the footage shows Escobar reaching for a weapon, it is not yet verified whether he pointed it or made an overt threat at the deputies before shots were fired.

The backstory:

The situation began with a 911 call from a concerned resident reporting a man yelling and walking in circles with what appeared to be a phone. One caller said Escobar came directly to her door, adding, "I have two daughters. My husband’s not home."

Deputies from the Lake County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the scene, where they encountered Escobar on the street. According to the bodycam footage, deputies attempted to engage him verbally before the confrontation turned deadly.

What's next:

The sheriff’s office has not yet issued a full public statement beyond confirming the basics of the event and deferring further comment pending the ongoing investigation.

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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

Lake CountyClermontCrime and Public Safety