Leesburg, Florida — On August 20, 2026, shortly before 3 p.m., Lake County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a home on Morningside Drive in the Leesburg area after a 911 caller reported a violent domestic disturbance involving a gun. The caller told dispatchers that 32-year-old Eric Sharp had become violent inside the home, had allegedly pushed and assaulted someone, and had fired a rifle into the ceiling. A second caller, an air-conditioning technician who was at the residence, also reported an active physical altercation and said he had heard gunshots. As deputies made their way to the home, the original caller reported that Sharp had gone outside and was armed with a pistol. Deputies approached with their firearms drawn and orderied Sharp to get on the ground. Sharp initially appeared to put his handgun down, but moments later he bent over and picked it back up. The encounter escalated almost immediately. As Sharp reached for the handgun again, one deputy fired two rounds, followed moments later by additional shots from a second deputy. Sharp was struck and fell to the ground, after which deputies moved his firearm away and secured the scene. He was pronounced dead, while none of the responding deputies were injured. Following the shooting, the deputies involved were placed on administrative leave, in accordance with standard procedure, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement took over the investigation.