FDLE investigating shooting death of Dunnellon man by CCSO deputies
Crine scene photo courtesy of CCSO.
Deceased man is Bryan Thomas Otto, 46, of Dunnellon
Dunnellon, Florida - About 5:30 p.m. on Friday afternoon, March 25, 2022, deputies with the Citrus County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) responded to a N. Windbreak Terrace, Dunnellon residence, due to a complaint of a disturbance and a verbal altercation. When deputies arrived at the residence, they met with the person who had made the complaint, and while deputies were speaking with the complainant, 46 year-old Bryan Thomas Otto, of Dunnellon, returned to the residence in his vehicle. When deputies approached Mr. Otto, he refused to comply with their commands and retrieved a firearm, "Leaving the deputies with no choice but to deploy deadly force to stop the threat," according to a CCSO press release.
Mr. Otto was pronounced deceased on the scene of the incident.
No additional details were released by the agency, but Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast made this comment, "Citrus County Sheriff's Office deputies are trained to respond appropriately to any threat they come in contact with. We are thankful for their courageous efforts in keeping our community safe."
"As with any of our deputy-involved shootings, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is on scene and investigating this case," said Brittney Carman Community Relations Specialist, OIC with the CCSO. "Following agency policy, the (three) deputies involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave with pay, pending the outcome of the preliminary FDLE investigation. We will release additional details as they become available."