The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating a deputy-involved shooting that occurred Tuesday night in Pompano Beach.

According to Broward Sheriff's Office Homicide Unit detectives, around 1:19 p.m. on Sept. 16, Broward County Regional Communications received a report of a suspicious incident at a home located at 2306 Bay Drive. When deputies arrived, they made contact with a subject inside the property that was supposed to be vacant. The subject, identified as Esterlin Appolon, fled to the third floor and barricaded himself inside a bedroom. BSO's SWAT team and BSO's hostage negotiators responded to the scene. The negotiators spent hours speaking to Appolon in an effort to bring about a peaceful resolution. However, the suspect made threats he was going to force deputies to shoot him.

While deputies were inside of the residence, the suspect began to shoot a firearm in their direction. Deputies determined that the suspect was inside of a bedroom with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Deputies subsequently attempted to provide first aid and to place the suspect into custody. A BSO K9 was deployed, at which point Appolon repeatedly struck the BSO K9. During the incident, deputies were forced to fire their weapons. Appolon was pronounced deceased on scene.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the circumstances of the deputy-involved shooting. BSO's Homicide and Crime Scene units are investigating the circumstances that led to the shooting, and BSO's Internal Affairs Unit is conducting an administrative review of the incident. The two deputies who fired their weapons are on administrative assignment, pending the investigation.