Investigators said two other suspected shoplifters ran out and have not been found.
POINCIANA, FL — An off-duty sheriff’s deputy shot and killed an armed shoplifting suspect inside a Walmart in Central Florida on Thursday night after the man ran through the store with a gun, authorities said. Two other suspected shoplifters fled and were still being sought Friday.
The shooting, reported just before 8 p.m. at the Walmart on Cypress Parkway, set off a fast-moving response that drew deputies, a sheriff’s helicopter and investigators from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Sheriff Christopher Blackmon said the deputy was working a security detail when a loss prevention officer flagged three men suspected of hiding merchandise in their clothing. The deputy confronted them near the front of the store, Blackmon said, and one suspect took off running with a gun in his hand. The deputy fired and the suspect died at the scene.
Authorities did not immediately release the name or age of the man who was killed. Blackmon said investigators were reviewing surveillance video to identify the two other suspects who escaped. A reward of $5,000 was offered for information that leads to their arrest, officials said.
According to the sheriff, the incident began when a Walmart loss prevention officer alerted the deputy to three men suspected of concealing items while inside the store. Blackmon said the deputy and the employee attempted to meet the group at the front as they approached the exit. At that point, Blackmon said, the suspects ran. “When they did, a gentleman took off running, had a gun in his hand, and with that said, our deputy fired,” Blackmon told reporters during a late-night briefing.
Investigators said the armed suspect ran deeper into the store toward other customers rather than heading straight out the door. Officials said the deputy believed shoppers were at risk because the suspect was moving through a crowded area with a firearm visible. The deputy was not injured, and authorities did not report any other injuries. Blackmon said the deputy’s shots struck the armed suspect, who died inside the store.
As deputies secured the building, shoppers and employees took cover in different parts of the store, according to statements from law enforcement officials. Osceola County officials said the situation unfolded quickly enough that several people inside initially did not know whether the gunfire was related to the suspected theft or something else. By the time the store was cleared, officials said, the two other suspects were already gone.
Blackmon said he would not say Thursday night whether the suspect ever pointed the gun at the deputy, describing that as part of the continuing investigation. He said investigators have “great video surveillance” that shows the suspects moving through the store, and he said that video was expected to be central to identifying the men who fled. He also said a sheriff’s helicopter was used during the search outside the store as deputies looked for the suspects in the surrounding area.
Authorities said the Florida Department of Law Enforcement will lead the investigation into the deputy-involved shooting, which is standard practice in many Florida jurisdictions when an on-duty or off-duty law enforcement officer uses deadly force. The sheriff’s office said it would cooperate with that review and provide evidence, including surveillance video and witness statements, as investigators work to document what happened and whether the use of force met state law and agency policy.
In addition to store video, investigators said they were collecting statements from employees, shoppers and first responders. Officials said they were also working to establish a detailed timeline, including the moments leading up to the confrontation at the store’s front area, the direction the suspect ran and how close other customers were when the deputy fired.
Blackmon said the deputy was placed on administrative leave, a common step after a shooting involving an officer, while the investigation proceeds. Officials did not disclose the deputy’s name. The sheriff said the deputy was “doing fine” physically after the incident, and the department would review the case as it receives findings from state investigators.
Law enforcement officials also described assistance from bystanders who were inside the store at the time. An Osceola County spokesperson said an off-duty firefighter and an off-duty law enforcement officer were among those who offered help as the shooting scene was secured. Another witness, described by officials as a civilian, also offered assistance. Authorities said those individuals were armed and positioned themselves to help protect others while deputies responded, though officials emphasized the deputy working security was the one who fired.
The shooting added to a broader focus on retail theft and store safety in Florida, where large retailers have increased security measures as they try to curb losses from shoplifting. Many big stores use loss prevention employees, cameras and on-site security to deter theft and respond to reports of concealed merchandise. In this case, officials said, the deputy was already at the store on an off-duty assignment when the loss prevention officer asked for help with the suspected shoplifters.
Investigators have not released details about what items were allegedly stolen or how much merchandise the suspects were believed to have taken. Authorities also did not immediately say whether the gun recovered at the scene was loaded, whether it was lawfully possessed or whether it had been reported stolen. Officials said those findings would be part of the evidence review.
Blackmon said deputies were working to locate the two remaining suspects through surveillance images and tips from the public. The sheriff’s office urged anyone with information to contact Crimeline, a regional tip line that accepts anonymous tips. Officials said the $5,000 reward would be paid for information that leads to an arrest, though they did not specify how the reward would be administered or whether it could be split among multiple tipsters.
Local officials said the Walmart reopened the next morning after a delayed start. Deputies remained visible in the area as investigators wrapped up their work inside and outside the building. The store sits along a busy stretch of road in Poinciana, a growing community south of Orlando, and the shooting drew heavy attention from passing drivers and nearby residents as patrol vehicles and crime scene tape marked the entrance.
For many shoppers, the location is a routine stop for groceries, school supplies and household items, and the shooting rattled people who were in the store at the time, according to officials and early witness descriptions. Authorities said some customers hid behind aisles and displays when they heard gunfire, while others rushed toward exits as deputies moved in. Officials said they were still working to interview everyone who might have seen the suspect running with a gun or the deputy firing.
Under Florida law, investigators typically examine whether an officer reasonably believed deadly force was necessary to prevent death or great bodily harm. Those findings can depend on witness statements, video evidence, forensic analysis and the location of people at the time of the shooting. Officials said it was too early to say when the investigation would be completed or whether any additional public reports would be released.
The two suspects who fled could face charges tied to the alleged theft, and officials said additional charges could depend on the evidence gathered about the gun and the events that followed. Authorities did not say whether the suspects were believed to be from the local area or whether they arrived together in a single vehicle. Investigators said they were also working to learn whether the suspects had any prior criminal history, though no such information was released Friday.
As of Friday, officials said the focus remained on identifying and arresting the two suspects who escaped, while state investigators reviewed the deputy’s actions. Blackmon said the sheriff’s office expected to share more information as it becomes available, including images or descriptions that could help locate the suspects.
Author note: Last updated February 20, 2026.