A Charlotte County Sheriff’s deputy was fatally shot during a traffic stop on Sunday, Dec. 15, when a driver retrieved a rifle from his pickup truck and opened fire, according to authorities. The deputy, identified as Corporal Elio Diaz, was conducting the stop at a Chevron gas station in Port Charlotte, about 100 miles southeast of Tampa.
Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell reported that the suspect, 24-year-old Andrew Mostyn, opened fire during the encounter. “Elio was rushed to a local hospital but succumbed to his injuries,” Prummell stated during a press conference.
Following the shooting, a manhunt led deputies to Mostyn near a Popeye’s restaurant on Kings Highway. When deputies approached, Mostyn reportedly reached for a rifle, prompting one deputy to fire, striking him in the head. The suspect was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Authorities have not disclosed a motive for the attack. The incident occurred near the Peace River, across from the Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor.
More details as they become available.