The 39-year-old suspect faces five attempted murder counts after a deputy returned fire outside his Sarasota home, authorities said.
SARASOTA, FL — A 39-year-old Sarasota man was hospitalized in critical but stable condition Sunday after authorities said he opened fire on sheriff’s deputies outside his home, prompting a deputy to return fire and strike him multiple times.
The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office identified the man as Casey King. Authorities said the confrontation early Sunday, Oct. 11, followed a separate shooting shortly after midnight in a McDonald’s parking lot near Bee Ridge and Cattlemen roads. King faces five counts of attempted second-degree murder of a law enforcement officer in connection with the later encounter. The charges are allegations, and the investigation remains active.
The sequence began at about 12:19 a.m. when deputies responded to a shooting in the McDonald’s parking lot at the intersection of Bee Ridge Road and Cattlemen Road, according to the Sheriff’s Office. No injuries were reported at that location, and the person suspected in the gunfire left before law enforcement arrived.
Investigators later determined that King had returned to his home at 4818 Hoyer Drive, the Sheriff’s Office said. Patrol deputies went to the residence and positioned themselves around the house. From a marked sheriff’s vehicle with its siren activated, a deputy made several announcements instructing King to surrender and come outside, according to the agency.
The Sheriff’s Office said King then opened fire on deputies positioned in front of the residence. A deputy returned fire, striking King multiple times. Deputies took him into custody, and he was transported to Sarasota Memorial Hospital for treatment. Authorities listed him in critical but stable condition Sunday.
Officials said King faces five counts of attempted second-degree murder of a law enforcement officer for allegedly firing at the responding deputies. The Sheriff’s Office also said additional charges are expected in connection with the earlier shooting at the McDonald’s parking lot. Authorities had not announced those additional charges as of Sunday.
The Sheriff’s Office has not publicly explained what led to the initial gunfire at the restaurant parking lot. Officials also had not released further details about the circumstances surrounding that shooting or a motive. The agency’s initial announcement did not identify the deputy who returned fire.
The events remain under investigation by the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities have described the case as an active and ongoing investigation, and additional information about the McDonald’s shooting, the deputy-involved shooting and any further charges had not been released.
Author note: Last updated October 11, 2026.