Suspect’s family tells investigators that King has history of depression and suicidal thoughts
A 39-year-old Sarasota man has been charged with five counts of Attempted Second-Degree Murder on a Law Enforcement Officer in the aftermath of an incident that occurred early in the morning of Sunday, Oct. 11, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office has reported.
Casey Lee King fired at deputies at his home, which stands at 4818 Hoyer Drive, a news release said. That followed a report of a shooting in the parking lot of the McDonald’s restaurant located at the intersection of Bee Ridge Road and Cattlemen Road in Sarasota, the agency explained in the release. “No injuries were reported” at the McDonald’s, the Sheriff’s Office added. That incident occurred at 12:19 a.m., the release said.
The suspect had fled the McDonald’s before law enforcement personnel arrived there, the release pointed out.
“A deputy returned fire” at King’s home, the release explained, “striking King multiple times. He was taken into custody and transported to Sarasota Memorial Hospital for treatment.”
King was in “critical but stable condition,” the release noted.
As of midday on Wednesday, Oct. 14, no bond had been set for King, his county jail booking record showed.
Additional charges are expected in relation to the McDonald’s shooting, the news release said.
“This is an active and ongoing investigation,” it pointed out.
Details from the Probable Cause Affidavit
At 12:19 a.m. on Oct. 11, King’s Probable Cause Affidavit says, two people called 911 to report that a man in a BMW with a Florida license tag was in the drive-through lane at the McDonald’s located at 3901 Cattlemen Road in Sarasota “when he pointed a handgun out of his window and fired several rounds into the air.” The man “also pointed the firearm at other customers and their vehicles in line,” the affidavit adds, noting that the man then fled the scene.
“The callers followed [the man] to the area of Hoyer Drive in Sarasota before returning to the McDonald’s to meet with deputies,” the affidavit continues. After using a law enforcement database to check the suspect’s license plate, it notes, the deputies learned that King was the registered owner of the vehicle and that his address was 4818 Hoyer Drive.
When deputies arrived at the home, the affidavit says, they saw King’s vehicle in the driveway. “Three deputies staged at the rear of the house” in the event the suspect attempted to flee through a back door, the affidavit continues. The others staged at the front of the house, it adds.
“Deputies activated the siren on a marked agency patrol vehicle at the front of the residence and issued numerous and continuous loud verbal commands using the PA system,” identifying themselves as law enforcement personnel with the Sheriff’s Office, the affidavit adds.
“Five uniformed deputies at the front of the residence observed the sound of gunshots and ricocheting rounds coming from the front door of the residence,” aimed at them, the affidavit points out. They “took cover behind the vehicles,” it says. Deputy L. Edwards, who was at the rear of the residence, “fired at [King] with his agency-issued patrol rifle,” striking King and injuring him, the affidavit continues.
King “was taken into custody and treated medically,” it notes. As of the writing of the Oct. 11 narrative of the affidavit, King remained in the hospital.
“Interviews with King’s family members yielded information that King was heavily intoxicated, struggled with alcoholism, had a history of [trying to control] his anger, and a history of depression and suicidal thoughts,” the affidavit points out.
“Right before the shooting,” it says, “King’s mother stated she saw King inside the residence, standing by the front door, pointing the muzzle of a long gun toward the front door (which had an inset window), appearing to be manipulating the firearm. Shortly after,” the affidavit continues, “King fired rounds from his rifle.”
The affidavit notes, “A search of the residence and crime scene showed defects to a vehicle and tree” behind which deputies were seeking cover, “indicating King shot directly at the victim deputies.” The affidavit adds that deputies found an AR-15 rifle behind the front door, “right where King was [positioned]. Casings were located on scene to corroborate statements made by all parties and witnesses involved.”
Twelfth Judicial Circuit Court documents show that, on Oct. 12, the Sheriff’s Office petitioned the court for a Risk Protection Order for King. The petition shows that among the boxes checked for court consideration were the following: “Was involved in a recent act or threat of violence against Respondent’s self or others,” “Engaged in an act or threat of violence, including but not limited to acts or threats of violence against Respondent’s self, within the past 12 months,” and “Has unlawfully or recklessly used, displayed, or brandished a firearm.” The same day, Circuit Judge Charles Williams issued a temporary Risk Protection Order for King, the News Leader read.
King and a representative of the Sheriff’s Office were ordered to appear at a compliance hearing set for 1 p.m. on Oct. 15 at the Judge Lynn N. Silvertooth Judicial Center on Ringling Boulevard in downtown Sarasota. That hearing will determine whether a “a risk protection order should be issued,” the document says.
Prior criminal record
A Sarasota News Leader review of 12th Judicial Circuit Court records found mostly traffic-related incidents involving King, starting in September 2002, when he was cited for careless driving.
He was charged with a DUI in July 2013, records note.
Then, in August 2015, he was charged with domestic violence. Under the guidelines of state law, the records in that case are not available for public review.
However, he also was charged with Tampering With Or Harassing Witness, Victim in the domestic violence case, the News Leader learned.
The Probable Cause Affidavit in the latter case says that officers were dispatched to a Sarasota address in response to a call about a fight between a man and a woman. When deputies arrived on the scene, the affidavit notes, the officer who wrote the narrative reported hearing “what sounded like the suspect running through the neighbor’s yard.”
That deputy found King trying to hide behind a shed, the affidavit adds. “I observed a strong odor of alcohol and unstable balance,” the deputy wrote.
The victim told the officers that while she was trying to make a 911 call, King kicked the door of the room to which she had retreated as she tried to close the door; then, he attempted to prevent her from completing the call by snatching her cell phone.
She was able to break away from him and make the call, she said, as noted in the affidavit.
On April 18, 2026, an assistant state attorney in the Office of the State Attorney for the 12th Judicial District filed a formal notice in that case, explaining that the office had decided not to prosecute King in that case.