A woman suffering a mental episode was fatally shot after attempting to stab a deputy who responded to her home after a 911 call.
Janet Sours, 81, died early this morning at Ocala Regional Medical Center.
Sumter County sheriff’s deputies responded to her home at the Rail’s End Mobile Home Park in Wildwood after a 911 call was received by dispatch at about 11 p.m. Monday “in reference to a female who was in distress and having a mental episode.”
Sours initially requested rescue personnel respond to her residence and stated “people were dying over here” and hung up.
“Due to the limited information provided by the complainant, rescue personnel staged in the area until the scene could be secured by deputy sheriffs,” according to a statement issued by the sheriff’s office. “While deputies were talking with the complainant trying to determine if her complaint was real or if she was having a mental episode, the complainant, Janet Sours pulled a knife from behind her back and lunged at the deputy attempting to stab him.”
The deputy took evasive action backing up while simultaneously drawing his service weapon and fired at Sours.
Rescue personnel arrived on the scene and started performing life-saving measures on Sours. She was transported to the hospital in Ocala where she later died.
Special agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrived on the scene and took over the investigation. The investigation is ongoing at this time. Sours’ next of kin has been notified.
