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A Florida's sheriff's office is in mourning after a deputy was killed in a shootout with a suspect on Wednesday.
Walton County Sheriff's Office Deputy William May was killed in the shootout that happened at a Dollar General store in Mossy Head, in Florida's Panhandle.
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WATCH HEREMay had responded to the store after authorities received a call about a man causing a disturbance inside, and had a brief discussion with the man before they exited the store, Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson told reporters.
"Within 10 seconds of the suspect walking out of the store with Deputy May behind him, that suspect drew a firearm and fired multiple rounds striking Deputy May," Adkinson said.
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May was able to return fire, killing the suspect at the scene, before he radioed for assistance.
Other deputies and fire rescue responded and May was rushed to a local hospital where he died from his injuries.
"Will fought the entire time, from returning fire on scene to fighting for his own life," Adkinson said. "It is just unfathomable to me that Will is not here."
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— Walton Co. Sheriff (@WCSOFL) April 3, 2025
Deputy William May. End of Watch April 2, 2025. pic.twitter.com/pw3tvRJO9J
Adkinson said May was wearing a ballistic that stopped multiple rounds that were fired by the suspect, but said one went underneath the vest.
At least 18 rounds were fired in the shootout, Adkinson said.
"I am struggling on behalf of this organization to make sense of this, because I can tell you there is absolutely nothing tactically wrong that Deputy May did," Adkinson said. "There was no indication whatsoever that this would have ended in that kind of violence."
May has been with the department since 2014, starting as a communications officer before becoming a sheriff's deputy in 2019.
"This is an agency in shock and in disbelief that this happened," Adkinson said. "The subject being dealt with was not even going to be arrested, they were simply asking him to leave, 25 to 30 seconds after his arrival he was mortally wounded. It does not make sense."
Adkinson said May wasn't even supposed to be working but had volunteered to work that day and the Dollar General response was his last call on his shift.
"He was on his way home, he said 'I will catch this on my way home,'" Adkinson said.
May's father is a retired assistant fire chief for the county and his mother was a former dispatcher. May leaves behind a wife and two children.
"I just don't know how to make sense out of it, that's why I'm struggling because I've got to see this man's children and his wife and his father and his mother and try to tell them something that makes sense," Adkinson said.
