Man shot, killed by Highland County deputies during traffic stop

A man was killed by Highlands County Sheriff’s deputies after they say he first fired a weapon at one of them early Friday morning.

According to Highlands County Sheriff Paul Blackman, speaking in a video posted to the HCSO Facebook page, 68-year-old Robert McNamara was shot and killed by HCSO deputies after first firing a shotgun at a deputy who was writing him a traffic citation.

At around 2:30 a.m., the Florida Highway Patrol called HCSO regarding a white van traveling north in the southbound lanes of US-27 near SR-70 in the Lake Placid area. Deputies soon found a white Econoline van in the area, though it was heading north in the northbound lanes by that point. Deputies followed the van for a bit before pulling it over at around 2:33 a.m., a mile north of Sun ‘n Lakes Boulevard South near Lake Placid.

The sheriff says a deputy spoke to McNamara, the only person in the van, and issued him a citation for failure to maintain a single lane. While the deputy was writing the citation, McNamara would not stay in his van and was being “argumentative.” McNamara eventually exited his van and approached the deputy, producing a black pistol-grip shotgun and firing a round at the deputy.

Both the deputy who was issuing the citation and a backup deputy returned gunfire, striking McNamara several times. They attempted to provide him with medical treatment until Highlands County Emergency Medical Services arrived and pronounced him dead at around 3:2o a.m.

The two deputies involved in this situation were not injured and have been placed on administrative leave, pending the outcome of an investigation. An assistant state attorney will be overseeing the investigation.

HCSO says McNamara has a criminal history out of both Florida and Connecticut for narcotics and paraphernalia possession.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.