An emotionally disturbed Florida girl was fatally shot by deputies early Monday after she allegedly stole a gun and pointed it at them.
A Florida Keys deputy gunned down the suicidal teen who had stolen a gun, broke off its lock with a hammer, and headed to “a remote location on Stock Island” at around 5:20 a.m.
Deputies followed the girl in an attempt to “de-escalate the situation” but she pointed the gun at them.
“They weren’t yelling. They weren’t screaming. They were very friendly, telling her to think of her family and telling her she had her whole life ahead of her,” Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay said.
After the shooting, deputies called for medical assistance and provided first aid until paramedics arrived.
The teen died at Lower Keys Medical Center, Spokesman Adam Linhardt said.
“This incident is a tragedy for everyone involved,” said Ramsay.
“While the deputy appears to have acted in self-defense, I have asked the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to conduct an independent investigation to ensure transparency.”
