FLORAL CITY, Fla. (AP) A Chokoloskee man was fatally shot by law enforcement officers after he was suspected of firing a gun at a pipeline construction site and fleeing.
James Leroy Marker, 66, was killed on Sunday by Citrus County Sheriff’s deputies after he shot and damaged a section of the Sabal Trail pipeline in north Florida, the sheriff’s office said.
The pipeline, which is designed to transport natural gas from Alabama to Florida, was damaged extensively, according to the sheriff’s office.
Marker fled after shooting the pipe and was eventually stopped by deputies after leading them on a high-speed chase. He “engaged with law enforcement” before being fatally shot, the sheriff’s office said.
Three Citrus County deputies have been placed on administrative leave while a Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation takes place.