The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office is currently conducting an investigation into an officer-involved shooting that occurred Saturday morning in Nokomis.

 

At 12:39 a.m., the Public Safety Communications Center received a 911 call for the report of a disturbance at 255 N. Tamiami Trail in the Palm & Pines Mobile & RV Park. According to the caller, he heard yelling and possible gunshots. Based on preliminary investigation, detectives determined the first deputy on scene arrived within a few minutes after the initial call was received and was directed to a common area within the trailer park. When the deputy contacted the suspect, he was on top of a screaming female, later determined to be the suspect’s wife. The deputy made verbal commands for the suspect to get off the woman however, he did not comply. The suspect then revealed a handgun and the deputy continued to make verbal commands for the suspect to drop his weapon. The suspect told the deputy to shoot him then put the weapon in his mouth.

 

While the deputy continued to make verbal commands, the suspect removed the weapon from his mouth and was grabbed from behind by a witness. A struggle ensued between the witness and suspect. During the struggle, the suspect raised his firearm and pointed it at the deputy, causing the deputy to fire his agency-issued weapon. The suspect died as the result of a single gunshot wound.

 

The suspect is identified as 65-year-old Mark Richard Coleman. Next of kin has been notified. The involved deputy has been placed on routine paid administrative leave pending the results of an internal investigation.  

 

Coleman’s wife was treated for minor injuries and has since been released from the hospital. No one else was injured. The investigation is ongoing.