An alarming incident unfolded in Polk County, Florida, when a veteran was fatally shot during an encounter with deputies at his residence on Tuesday evening, as reported by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

The event took place in the 2900 block of Socrum Loop Road West in Lakeland. According to an official statement, no deputies were harmed, but the suspect was shot during the confrontation.

The individual involved was identified as 76-year-old Ronald Breese, a veteran with no prior criminal record. Tragically, the sheriff’s office confirmed that Breese succumbed to his injuries.

In a news briefing, Sheriff Grady Judd provided more context about the situation. He noted that Breese had served three tours in Vietnam and had been consuming alcohol with his wife earlier that day. This background perhaps sheds light on the distressing circumstances leading to the incident.

Sheriff Judd revealed that Breese had reached out to the Veterans Crisis Line, expressing intentions of self-harm. “He mentioned having five guns in his home and was determined to hurt himself,” Judd stated. Despite authorities’ efforts to de-escalate the situation, Breese, armed with a gun, refused to disarm, leading to the tragic outcome.

“He called the Veterans Crisis Line this afternoon. He said there were five guns in his residence, and he had every intention of hurting himself,” Judd explained. “He had a gun in his hand, and he would not put it down.”

In response, the crisis help line contacted the sheriff’s office, which dispatched deputies out to Breese’s home.

“Ronald Breese was sitting in a chair on the porch with a gun to his head,” Judd continued. “The deputies started de-escalating, trying to talk to Ronald, and they thought — according to the early information that they had — that the wife was also in the house.”

However, Breese’s wife actually pulled into the driveway as this was happening, and she jumped out of the car, starting toward her husband, Judd stated.

Deputies tried to stop her, though she ignored them, causing one of the deputies to run and tackle her in order to keep her safe, the sheriff said.

“At that moment, Ronald could see what was occurring, and he jumped up, and it’s told to us that he fired at least one shot at the deputies,” Judd added. “Four deputies returned fire.”

Now, the State Attorney’s Office and the PCSO are investigating the deputy-involved shooting.

“But it’s clear to us at this early stage of the investigation: those deputies had to shoot to protect themselves and to protect his wife,” Judd concluded. “We don’t know why he was acting like that. Preliminarily, we’re told they’re drinking and he was upset over some kind of business deal or business transaction. We can’t verify that.”

No additional information has been provided at this time.

For veterans struggling with mental health, the Veterans Crisis Line can be reached by calling 988 and then pressing 1. Alternatively, click here.