A South Florida community is grieving the loss of a deputy who was killed in the line of duty Sunday afternoon. Charlotte County Cpl. Elio Diaz was shot and killed while conducting a traffic stop at a gas station in Charlotte Harbor.
According to Sheriff Bill Prummell, Diaz was making a stop on a white pickup truck when the suspect, 24-year-old Andrew Mostyn Jr., pulled out a rifle and shot him. Diaz was transported to a nearby hospital where he died.
Mostyn fled the scene, prompting a massive manhunt, and was later found at a Popeyes in Punta Gorda. When deputies approached him, Prummell said Mostyn went to grab his rifle again, resulting in a deputy shooting him in the head. Mostyn died after being flown to a local hospital.
Prummell was visibly emotional as he confirmed the deputy’s death, describing Diaz as “a good family man” and “a really great cop.” “He’s going to be missed,” he said.
Diaz had served with the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office since 2013 and was chosen as the department’s law enforcement member of the first quarter in November 2023. State leaders, including Attorney General Ashley Moody and Sen. Rick Scott, offered prayers and condolences to the agency and the deputy’s loved ones.
The festive season will be particularly difficult for many mourning this tragic loss, and the community is left to remember Cpl. Elio Diaz, a dedicated law enforcement officer who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.