LEVY COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – A Levy County Sheriff’s Office deputy is on administrative leave pending an investigation after discharging a firearm during an interaction with a subject in Bronson on Monday.
At approximately 2:49 a.m. on the morning of Monday, August 24, 2026, LCSO deputy K. Richetti attempted to engage a male subject after witnessing a pedestrian violation. The subject, reportedly dressed in jeans and a T-shirt and sweating profusely, was walking in an area of Bronson that “does not typically see much pedestrian traffic and is known to be a high crime area,” according to a Levy County Sheriff’s Office release.
The subject attempted to walk away from the deputy several times, refusing to identify himself and stating that he knew the law. When Deputy Richetti attempted to detain and handcuff him, he broke away and fled.
Deputy Richetti gave chase, discharging two rounds from her service firearm during the pursuit. The subject gave no indication of being struck.
Supervisors and additional units were requested and arrived on scene, including K-9 units from the Florida Department of Corrections. The location was secured, a perimeter was set up and an intensive search began. The subject was identified via a tip in response to social media posts.
The subject, 25-year-old Mason Clifton, was located hiding in a nearby shed and apprehended just after noon on Monday. He has been charged with resisting arrest and is being held at the Levy County Detention Center.
“Sheriff (Robert) McCallum asked the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) to complete an independent investigation based upon the fact that a deputy discharged a firearm during the performance of their official duty,” read the release. “The policy of the Levy County Sheriff’s Office is to conduct an internal investigation at the conclusion of the FDLE investigation. As per our policy Deputy Richetti was placed on administrative leave until these investigations are completed.”