Staff report from Alachua County Sheriff’s Office social media post

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A man has died and four deputies from the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ASO) have been placed on paid administrative leave after they discharged their firearms at a person wielding a gun.

Earlier today, deputies were dispatched to the 6700 block of SW 4th Place (Holly Heights) in response to a call reporting a man, later identified as Darian D. Holmes, 55, who was armed with a handgun and banging on the door of a residence.

Reports indicate that deputies found Holmes “recklessly brandishing the firearm and making statements suggesting he was in a heightened state of crisis.” Deputies engaged Holmes in roughly 40 minutes of negotiation to defuse the situation.

During the response, deputies discovered Holmes had 14 previous felony convictions, including two for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

According to the ASO, shots were fired “at some point during the encounter,” and Holmes received immediate medical attention. He was taken to a local hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

Click here for Alachua County Sheriff’s Office’s video of the incident. Viewer discretion is advised.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has been notified and will conduct an independent investigation into the shooting.