The Brooksville man shot and killed by a deputy after a dispute over his living arrangement had left a suicide note.
According to the Hernando County Sheriff's Office, 69-year-old James Quenton Palmer called dispatchers on May 8 and told them he was being evicted from a house on California Street and that he was setting the residence on fire.
When deputies arrived, they said Palmer became aggressive and ultimately was shot by a deputy. Palmer was taken to a trauma center where he later died.
An investigation between Hernando County Sheriff's Office, members of the State Attorney's Office (SAO) and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) indicated that Palmer left a suicide note, which was later found by authorities.
Portions of the note alluded to the fact that by the time the note was read Hernando County deputies would have already shot Palmer and that he was using deputies to commit suicide, authorities said.
Also, preliminary reports indicate that when deputies arrived, Palmer was armed with a weapon that was later determined to be a pellet gun.
FDLE agents and HCSO detectives have stated that the weapon that Palmer was armed with very closely resembled a Walther P99 semi automatic handgun. Indications are that Palmer deliberately pointed the weapon, that did not have an orange or red muzzle, at deputies as they arrived.
Also, a master deputy and a deputy involved in the incident will return to full duty on May 19.