A man shot and killed by Hillsborough County deputies this week has been identified as Vincent Tyler Morin, a decorated U.S. Army combat veteran. Authorities say Morin was armed with a rifle and dressed in tactical gear when he was confronted by deputies responding to multiple 911 calls.
The shooting occurred Wednesday morning in a suburban neighborhood of Brandon, Florida, just east of Tampa and south of Causeway Boulevard. According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO), deputies found Morin walking along Providence Road wearing body armor, a communications headset, and battle fatigues. He was carrying a loaded rifle and had two additional magazines in his vest.
Despite repeated commands to drop the weapon, Morin reportedly did not comply. Three deputies opened fire. Though they attempted life-saving measures at the scene, Morin was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Morin, 34, served in the U.S. Army from 2009 to 2012 and again from 2014 to 2020, deploying multiple times to both Iraq and Afghanistan. He left the Army with the rank of Staff Sergeant.
For those who knew and served with him, the news is devastating.
“I cried for about ten minutes,” Stephen Noorlag, who served alongside Morin, told the local ABC affiliate. “It’s hard to see veterans go through situations like this. Vince was the kind of leader you’d want in any infantry unit—tough when he needed to be, but compassionate. He cared deeply for the soldiers under his charge.”
Jedidiah Orr, another fellow veteran, expressed shock and concern over how the incident is being portrayed. “He was extremely professional, extremely buttoned-up. He positively impacted countless soldiers during his career,” said Orr.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office acknowledged that Morin did not appear to point his weapon at deputies, but emphasized that he ignored multiple commands to disarm.
“Whatever his intentions were, they were not peaceful,” said HCSO Chief Deputy Joseph Maurer at a press conference. “You don’t dress in tactical gear with a fully loaded rifle and body armor unless you mean to make a statement or worse.”
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) has taken over the investigation. All three deputies involved—Lt. William Gergel, Deputy Matthew Fluck, and Deputy Courtney Baldwin—have been placed on paid administrative leave, as is standard in officer-involved shootings.
In February, Morin had a strange encounter that was caught on a Ring doorbell camera, leading to a welfare check by deputies. At the time, authorities concluded he did not meet the criteria for involuntary commitment under the state’s Baker Act.
Veteran advocates are urging service members and their loved ones to recognize the signs of distress and take them seriously.
“If you’re a veteran or know one who’s in crisis, just remember 988,” said retired Army Colonel DJ Reyes. “Call or text, then press 1 to reach a trained veteran responder. Whether it’s mental health, substance use, or anything else, there’s someone on the other end who gets it.”
The full details of what led to Wednesday’s deadly encounter remain unclear. But one thing is certain: another veteran is gone, and the community is left grappling with more questions than answers.
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