New details have been confirmed on the now-deceased man accused of shooting and killing a deputy in Charlotte County during a traffic stop Sunday afternoon.
Charlotte Couty Sheriff Deputy Cpl. Elio Diaz was shot and killed during a traffic stop at a gas station in Charlotte Harbor around 3 p.m.
Sheriff Bill Prummell said the shooter was Andrew Mostyn Jr., 24.
After fleeing the scene, Mostyn was later found outside a Popeyes restaurant miles away. Prummell said Mostyn reached for a rifle, and that's when he was shot and killed by a deputy.
Joy Pyle Dameron, the mother of Mostyn, posted on Facebook:
"No parent should ever have to feel this pain, it is unbearable and unbearable to type this out but, My oldest son, AJ, suffering from extreme mental illness, has passed away under horrible circumstances. We would appreciate your understanding for our privacy and would also appreciate your prayers. Momma will always love you baby. My first baby"
In April, earlier this year, the Montgomery County Police Department in Maryland issued an alert for the disappearance over Easter Weekend. He was later reported to be found safe in Pennsylvania.
According to WUSA9 , Mostyn failed to show up for an Easter dinner, and the family received what they called cryptic text messages. Snapchat posts were also sent from Mostyn from the National Mall in D.C., and it remained unclear why he visited the Mall or how he ended up in Pennsylvania.
The death of Diaz is being mourned by the community, political figures and agencies across the state.
Diaz is the seventh deputy to be killed in Charlotte County Sheriff's Office history. The next most recent death happened in 2022, when Deputy First Class Christopher E. Taylor was hit and killed by a drunk driver.
Funeral announcements have not yet been announced for Cpl. Elio Diaz.
Count on NBC2 to have the latest details as the information is released.