The Marion County Sheriff’s Office has released the name of the person who was shot and killed July 7 by a deputy who was investigating a disturbance in Marion Oaks.
The deceased was identified as James Cherry, 39, of Orlando.
The Star-Banner asked for the deputy’s name but the sheriff’s office, citing a state law that went into effect July 1, declined to provide it. As reported by USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida, the state now has a public record exemption that applies to law enforcement officers who become a victim in the course and scope of their employment or official duties.
Sheriff’s officials said they cannot release any information about the deputy, including hire date, at this time.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the shooting, as is standard practice. Also, the deputy is presently on paid administrative leave during the investigation.
Once FDLE concludes its investigation, the report will be sent to the State Attorney’s Office for legal review.
From 2023 to the present the sheriff’s office has had seven deputy-involved shootings. The most recent was in September 2025, when D’Montae Shilek Shannon was shot by Deputy Fabian Montalvo-Montalvo.
According to prosecutors and the sheriff’s office, Shannon was shot when he drove toward Deputy Stephanos Michaelides. Shannon died at the hospital. Montalvo-Montalvo was cleared of any wrongdoing by prosecutors.
What happened in the Marion Oaks case?
According to the sheriff’s office, at 2:26 p.m. on July 7 deputies were called to a home in the 14900 block of Southwest 35th Avenue Road in Marion Oaks to investigate a domestic disturbance.
Deputies were told that Cherry went to the residence to confront his estranged wife. He tried to convince her to let him inside the home. She refused.
The sheriff’s office said a third party was on the phone with the estranged wife and overheard what was happening at the home. That person was worried about the woman’s safety and called 911.
Arriving at the location, the deputy tried to get information from Cherry. At that time, the sheriff’s office says, Cherry “wielded a firearm, failed to comply with commands to drop it, and turned toward the deputy, who shot him to eliminate the threat.”
The deputy provided aid until medical personnel arrived. Cherry was transported to a local hospital where he later died.
C.A. Bridges contributed to this story. Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Marion sheriff’s office releases name of man killed by deputy on July 7
Reporting by Austin L. Miller, Ocala Star-Banner / Ocala Star-Banner
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Austin L. Miller, Ocala Star-Banner | USA TODAY Network
