An AMBER Alert that had Ocala on edge Monday ended with a 13-year-old girl found safe and the suspect fatally shot after a highway pursuit, according to law enforcement.
Deputies identified the suspect as 45-year-old Jason Castillo and said the girl was taken from her home in the Shady Road Villas community. The chase and shooting shut down southbound lanes of U.S. Highway 441 near County Road 25A while investigators worked the scene.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement issued the AMBER Alert for 13-year-old Juliet Louise Arioso, saying she was taken from the 9100 block of Southwest 27th Avenue between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and may have been traveling with Castillo in a red 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe with Florida tag 77ERLW, according to FDLE. The agency’s flyer includes a photo of the child and a hotline number for tips.
The Marion County Sheriff's Office said deputies spotted Castillo's SUV around 5:20 p.m. and tried to pull it over. Deputies then used a P.I.T. maneuver that disabled the vehicle on U.S. 441 near County Road 25A. Shots were fired as deputies moved in to take Castillo into custody, according to WFTV. He was taken to a hospital and later pronounced dead, the sheriff’s office said.
Local outlets reported that the 13-year-old was found safe and the AMBER Alert was canceled soon after the confrontation. The Marion County Sheriff's Office said in a brief update that more information would be released as the investigation continues, according to FOX 35 Orlando. Officials did not immediately say what triggered the gunfire or whether any deputies were hurt.
Where the Pursuit Ended and How Investigators Responded
According to the sheriff's office, the P.I.T. maneuver left the Hyundai disabled in the southbound lanes of U.S. 441 near CR 25A. Deputies quickly blocked off the area and called in major-crimes detectives, who spent hours processing the scene and collecting evidence, the Ocala Gazette reported. Drivers were urged to find alternate routes while the shutdown stretched into the evening commute.
Investigation and Larger Context
The Marion County Sheriff's Office is treating the shooting as an active investigation and has said it will release additional details when it can. The case unfolds during a month that has already seen multiple deputy-involved shootings in Marion County.
In a separate July 7 incident, a deputy shot a man during a domestic disturbance in Ocala. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating that case, according to News4Jax.
What Officials Are Asking the Public
Authorities are asking anyone with information related to the case to contact the Marion County Sheriff's Office at 352-732-9111 or call the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s MEPIC hotline at 1-888-FL-MISSING, according to ClickOrlando. The sheriff’s office has also urged residents to stay clear of the U.S. 441 area near County Road 25A until the scene is fully cleared by investigators.
