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HAWTHORNE ‒ A Hawthorne man was shot by an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy on Friday, March 25, after his wife called 911 saying her husband was intoxicated, had a gun and was threatening to kill himself.

The man was initially inside their home on Southeast 218th Street, but he went outside following the arrival of law enforcement. A tense standoff ensued in which deputies say the 69-year-old man refused repeated commands to put the handgun down. Deputies reported that he made statements that he was going to shoot law enforcement and himself, while also saying he wanted the deputies to shoot him.

At approximately 5:30 p.m., deputies shot the man and he was taken to the hospital with an abdominal gunshot wound.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the case and considering whether to file charges. All deputies involved are being placed on administrative leave pending the results of the investigation, which is standard policy.

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