Man Shot By Deputy Shot Himself 'Instant' Before: Medical Examiner

BRANDON, FL — A Friday night fatal shooting involving a Hillsborough County deputy has been ruled a suicide.

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, the medical examiner has "deemed the manner of death to be suicide." Preliminary investigation results show the man who was shot by a deputy "shot himself an instant before the deputy fired," en email from the sheriff's office said.

The incident that led to the fatal shooting occurred at Walmart, 11110 Causeway Blvd., around 9:45 p.m. Dec. 2. Deputies reportedly located a vehicle at the Brandon store that had been connected to a man who had been reported as missing.

When deputies approached the man, who was reported to be possibly suicidal, they noticed a gun in his hand, WTSP reported. The man was told to drop the weapon, but raised it instead, the station reported.

Deputy Cabot Brown fired, the station said. The man, Paul Mebane, 28, was taken to a local hospital for treatment, but his death was announced just after noon Dec. 3.

Three children, ages 4 to 10, were reportedly in the Mebane's car at the time. The sheriff’s office’s child protection unit was assisting with the children, WTSP reported.

The sheriff's office said its detectives are in contact with Mebane's family in Texas. Mebane did not have a local address.

No further information is available at this time.

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