Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Press Release Re: Deputy Sgt. Elio Diaz
Armed and Armored Man Killed After Murdering Charlotte County Deputy
December 19, 2024 – Charlotte County, FL
A man who appeared ready for a firefight is dead after murdering a beloved Charlotte County deputy.
Just after 3pm on Sunday, December 15, 2024, Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Corporal (posthumously promoted to Sergeant) Elio Diaz ran the tag on a white pickup truck, which he found had a financial responsibility suspension on the driver due to having no insurance. The truck pulled into a gas station parking lot and came to a stop at a pump, where Sgt. Diaz initiated a traffic stop. The encounter with the driver was cordial, and Sgt. Diaz learned that the man was homeless and living out of the truck. Sgt. Diaz spent over an hour with the man, trying to help him contact the insurance company to get his coverage figured out in order to avoid towing the truck, knowing it contained the man’s entire life.
This is exactly the kind of person Sgt. Elio Diaz was.
At one point, as Sgt. Diaz was getting out of his patrol vehicle, he called out to the driver who, without warning, pulled out a rifle and opened fire on him, firing more than 10 shots. Sgt. Diaz was struck multiple times, including while he was already on the ground. The man then got into the truck and drove away.
After fleeing the scene, the shooter stopped and changed his license plate from the Florida tag that was on the truck to a Georgia registration. He also put on a ballistic vest, which had level-three steel plate armor on the front, back, and sides. The vest also contained a loaded magazine, a trauma kit, and a med kit.
The vehicle was spotted about an hour later by Corporal Nate Edwards at the Popeye’s Restaurant located at Kings Highway and Sandhill Boulevard. Edwards immediately called for backup, and Deputy Andrea Short was the first one to respond. The two positioned themselves near the shooter’s vehicle, announced they were with the Sheriff’s Office, and gave lawful commands for the driver to show his hands. The driver did not comply.
As Deputy Short continued to order the man to surrender, she observed an overt movement and fired a single shot into the truck, striking the driver in the head. In the video below, it is seen that the overt movement was the man raising the fully loaded rifle, which was found in his grasp in his lap.
Deputy Short, who is also a Registered Nurse, attempted life-saving measures on the man after he was removed from the vehicle. He was airlifted to a nearby hospital, where he later died.
In addition to the rifle in the shooter’s hands, a search of the vehicle also yielded the following, which are shown in the video below:
Over 1,000 rounds of ammunition of various calibers
Multiple magazines, fully and partially loaded
2 gas masks
Crossbow with bolts
Bolt-action rifle (.22)
Semi-automatic rifle with scope (.556)
Multiple knives
Psilocybin (mushrooms)
The Florida vehicle tag
Officer-Involved Shooting Incident
Sheriff Prummell held a press conference on Thursday, December 19, 2024 to share this information and video with media partners, as well as to answer the questions he could. Video of the press conference can be seen below.
Press Conference held at CCSO Administration Building 12/19/2024
Deputy Short has been placed on administrative leave in accordance with CCSO policy. The findings of the officer-involved shooting case will be turned over to the State Attorney’s Office for review.