A 44-year-old father who was shot in Ocala on Tuesday while allegedly defending another individual has died from his injuries.
Tony Lee Diamond has succumbed to injuries he sustained during the fatal shooting on September 10. The Marion County Sheriff’s Office announced his passing on Wednesday.
The shooting took place just before 5 p.m. in the 4900 block of NW 56th Terrace in Ocala.
When Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived on scene that day, they found Diamond suffering from a gunshot wound.
Deputies administered aid to Diamond until he was transported to the hospital with critical injuries, where he later died.
On Wednesday, Diamond’s son, James, posted a touching tribute to his father on social media. In his statement, James alluded to his father’s death as coming while “defending another person.”
“I loved my dad so much, words cannot describe how I feel at this moment,” said James in the post. “None of us are perfect, but it takes a special type of person to stand up for what is right, even in the face of someone who wishes to harm you gravely. My dad was a true hero in every sense of the word. No matter his past or future mistakes, he did what was right in the moment and that’s something we can all learn from. Thank you dad, I love you.”
The MCSO Major Crimes division is currently investigating the case and still have an unidentified suspect in custody.
No further details were provided by the sheriff’s office.