Florida deputies shoot, kill knife-wielding man after he charged at them, Orange County sheriff says

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - A man armed with a knife was shot by Orange County deputies on Tuesday afternoon – and later died at the hospital – after he ran towards the deputies moments after they arrived at the scene, Orange County Sheriff John Mina said.

Deputies were called to a home near Edgewater Drive and Davisson Avenue, south of Lee Road, around 3 p.m. regarding a man who had reportedly cut himself, Sheriff Mina told reporters at a press conference. Moments after the deputies arrived at the scene and got out of their car, an "extremely agitated man" holding a "very large knife" began yelling and ran towards them.

The man was shot and taken to the hospital, where he died, officials said. On Wednesday, deputies identified the man as 43-year-old Decarlos Cornelius Long. 

Neither deputy was hurt. 

"He came out of that house to harm those deputies, and in my opinion, they really had no other choice," Mina said. "He was extremely agitated, holding a very large knife, and it happened in the blink of an eye."

Orange County Sheriff John Mina holds press conference on deputy-involved shooting

Sheriff Mina said several other adults lived at the home, but the connection between all of them was not immediately clear. He also said that deputies had responded to the home at least 16 times over the last year for various calls, including arguments and other disturbances.

Photos from the scene showed several Orange County Sheriff's Office patrol vehicles lined up and down the street, as well as a large area blocked off with yellow crime scene tape.

The shooting left neighbors on edge. 

"[I heard] pop, pop, pop, pop, pop… like Black Cat firecrackers," one neighbor told FOX 35’s Hannah Mackenzie. "I really didn’t think anything of it until I came outside and saw all of the police. Then, I went back inside and locked the door." 

Across the street, neighbor Jose Martinez said he saw the incident play out. Martinez even snapped a few photos of deputies with guns drawn, pointing at the suspect.

"I just rushed to the window, and then, unfortunately, I saw the gentleman fall to the floor," Martinez said. "Then, I saw the officers walk in from the right-hand side, and their weapons were drawn. They were talking to him, and he was moving on the floor a little bit." 

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Martinez’s cameras caught the aftermath as deputies and Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) investigators worked the scene. Both deputies involved in the shooting are veterans of the sheriff’s office, according to Mina. They have been placed on administrative leave while the investigation is underway. The suspect was taken to hospital, where he later died. There is no word yet on his identity or why he charged deputies. 

Mina said the suspect does have a history of mental health issues. He said deputies have responded to the house 16 times in the last year for various disturbances.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) will investigate the shooting.