3 Ocala police officers cleared in fatal 2023 shooting in Home Depot parking lot

Prosecutors have cleared three Ocala police officers in the shooting death of a man in a home improvement store parking lot last year.

Chief Assistant State Attorney Walter Forgie referenced Florida statutes in his report and said "The use of deadly force by these officers was absolutely reasonable, and lawful, under these circumstances. This matter is now closed."

The case stems from a June 3, 2023, call for service in the Home Depot parking lot at 3300 SW 35th Terrace, off State Road 200 close to Interstate 75, in reference to a possible Baker Act.

Officers were told that Robert Francisco Gonzalez, 41, of Silver Springs, threatened to commit suicide, according to his mother. The woman told police officials that her son had been diagnosed as schizophrenic and she wanted to have him held on a Baker Act so he would not harm himself. She told officers her son's location and described his vehicle as a white Acura.

When officers got to the location, they found Gonzalez, and he was agitated, Forgie's report noted. The officers planned to take Gonzalez into custody for a Baker Act. As the officers tried to take Gonzalez into custody, one officer saw Gonzalez had a handgun.

Court roundup Marion church bishop and former school official guilty of sexually abusing boy

Gonzalez got out of the car and fired at the officers, the report said.

The man fired multiple shots during the incident, Forgie said. The officers returned fire, hitting Gonzalez, who died in the parking lot.

Court records show most of Gonzalez's past interactions with law enforcement were traffic related. Other run-ins with authorities were mostly misdemeanor offenses such as domestic battery and drug possession.

The cases against Gonzalez either ended with convictions or were dropped, records show.

The officers involved in the shooting — Jesus Santiago, Jason Santos and Ferdinand Collazo — had nearly 20 years of combined experience, department personnel said.

They were placed on administrative leave after the shooting, and returned to active duty after an investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement

Prior to the incident, the officers had not been involved in any officer-involved shootings, authorities said.

Local defense lawyer Jimmie Sparrow represented the officers.

Police officials are expected to do their own investigation to determine if any policies or procedures were violated, or if any practices can be improved.

Other shootings involving Ocala police

Ocala police were last involved in a fatal shooting in January 2017, when three officers shot and killed Kevin Tree after he pointed a gun at them.

The incident occurred at a hotel not far from the department's main office off South Pine Avenue. The officers were called to the hotel by Tree, 54, who had threatened to commit suicide.

Prosecutors cleared the officers of any wrongdoing, saying they were defending themselves.

A month before that shooting, an officer shot and wounded a man at a local hospital who had a woman in a choke hold and was armed with scissors.

The man, Jonathan Michael Collins, who was at the hospital for treatment and was being held for robbery, was convicted and sent to prison.

— Contact Austin L. Miller at [email protected]

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Ocala Police Department officers cleared in fatal 2023 shooting