Photo: Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office
Authorities in Palm Beach County say deputies stopped what could have been an active shooter situation at a Publix on Monday night.
They were dispatched to a call of a suspicious person with a gun in the parking lot of the supermarket's Greenacres location at the corner of Military Trail and Melaleuca Lane.
Sheriff Ric Bradshaw says the suspect had already fired the weapon several times into the air by the time deputies arrived.
After more than twenty minutes of trying to de-escalate the situation, the sheriff says his deputies were left with no choice.
"He starts waving his gun all over the place, points it in the direction in a threatening manner at the deputies. So they decide that they're going to go ahead and neutralize the threat."
He says the man, who is in his twenties, was struck "once or twice" and is in the hospital in critical condition.
Bradshaw says the suspect was attempting to go into the store with the gun.
The deputy involved is on paid leave, which is standard protocol.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office has provided a photo of the gun used by the suspect.
A spokeswoman says he was found to have a background of Baker Act(s).