MARION COUNTY, Fla. — The man accused of kidnapping a 13-year-old Marion County girl is dead after a deputy involved shooting Monday evening.
Jason Castillo, 45, was identified as the suspect who kidnapped the girl from her Ocala home between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., according to a Marion County Sheriff’s Office news release. An Amber Alert was issued for her.
Authorities launched an extensive search before locating Castillo’s SUV hours later in Belleview. Deputies attempted to stop the vehicle, but Castillo fled, the news release states. Deputies used a PIT maneuver ending the chase causing Castillo’s vehicle to become disabled on U.S. Highway 441 near County Road 25A, the news release states.
According to investigators, a shootout followed after the vehicle was disabled. Castillo was shot and transported to a hospital for treatment, where deputies said he later died.
The 13-year-old girl was safely recovered and is now with the authorities.
Back at the victim’s neighborhood, crime scene tape remained around the girl’s home hours after the reported kidnapping, Action News Jax’s Orlando station WFTV is reporting.
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