Bodycam shows deadly deputy shooting of armed man outside Clermont home

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Clermont, FL - Newly released body camera footage and 911 audio reveal the tense moments leading up to a fatal deputy-involved shooting in Lake County, Florida. The incident unfolded outside a Clermont home, where a mother and her children were reportedly inside, alarmed by a man’s erratic behavior on their street.

The man, 39-year-old Eric Escobar, was reportedly acting suspiciously in the Via Roma Circle neighborhood, prompting a resident to call 911. Deputies responded to the call and encountered Escobar, who they say was armed and refused to comply with orders.

The video footage shows deputies confronting Escobar in the street. A deputy asks, "Do you have a gun?" to which Escobar responds, "Yes, I have two of them." As the situation escalates, Escobar appears to reach for a firearm, prompting law enforcement to open fire.

Escobar died at the scene. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the incident, as is standard in officer-involved shootings.

Several questions remain unanswered following the release of the footage. It is still unclear what led Escobar to act erratically that day and why he approached the homes in the neighborhood. Authorities have not yet released toxicology results or confirmed whether Escobar had a criminal history or known mental health issues.

Investigators also haven’t clarified whether Escobar had actually tried to force entry into the home or simply stood at the door. And while the footage shows Escobar reaching for a weapon, it is not yet verified whether he pointed it or made an overt threat at the deputies before shots were fired.

The situation began with a 911 call from a concerned resident reporting a man yelling and walking in circles with what appeared to be a phone. One caller said Escobar came directly to her door, adding, "I have two daughters. My husband’s not home."

Deputies from the Lake County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the scene, where they encountered Escobar on the street. According to the bodycam footage, deputies attempted to engage him verbally before the confrontation turned deadly.