Hillsborough Deputy Fatally Shoots Man Threatening With Knife

TAMPA, FL -- A Hillsborough County Sheriff's deputy was forced to shoot and kill a man who charged at him with a knife on Tuesday, according to Sheriff Chad Chronister.

Around 1:15 p.m., a family member called about a suicidal man on Gregory Drive off Bearss Avenue in the University Area.

Deputies responded to the home of 52-year-old Jesus Calderon who they said had a knife and started moving aggressively toward a deputy. When Calderon refused to drop the knife, the deputy, Deputy Kevin Stabins, 42, was forced to shoot, and fired his service weapon several times.

"The deputy had no time. It happened so fast," said Chronister. "When the deputy first approached the subject and came within close proximity, he didn't see the knife until the subject jumped up and began aggressively displaying the knife."

Calderon was taken to AdventHealth where he was pronounced dead.

Stabins has been with the sheriff's office for 19 years. Chronister says this is the first time he has had to use deadly force. As is standard procedure, he has been placed on administrative leave.

"He's visibly emotional; he's upset ... bothered by the fact that he had to deploy deadly force," said Chronister.

Calderon

This is the seventh time deputies have been called to Calderon's home for suicide attempts since September 2018. His history includes arrests for possession of cocaine, public consumption of alcohol and driving under the influence three times.

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