A 23-year-old individual fled from a mental health facility in Florida and was critically injured in a police shooting. The authorities reported that upon encountering the individual armed with pepper spray and a knife, officers deemed him an immediate threat, leading to the use of deadly force, reports Fox.

The unnamed man had been brought to The Vines Hospital by family members for admission but began behaving erratically and fled the facility, the Ocala Police Department said.

Police located him approximately ten minutes later in the vicinity of the 5500 block of SW 27th Avenue.

Witnesses, like Preston Bare, recounted seeing the tense interaction between the man and law enforcement. Despite officers’ attempts to de-escalate the situation, the individual continued to advance with the weapons in hand, resulting in the use of force.

“The cop was holding the gun, and there was another cop holding the Taser on him, and he was patting on his chest, pleading with the man to please drop whatever he had in his hands,” Bare said. “Then he got tased, and he started to immediately run toward the cop that had his gun drawn on him, spraying him while he’s running with the knife in his hand, and then he got shot.”

Following the incident, the man was promptly transported to a nearby hospital for surgery and remains in serious condition with additional medical procedures pending. Fortunately, no officers sustained injuries during the altercation.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has joined the investigation, adhering to standard protocol.