Peter Carl Russo

Deadly force

Deputy Steven Ritenour responded to a home in Sebring after a 911 call from a woman stating that her mother's boyfriend was drunk and trying to get into the house. Deputy Ritenour arrived pulled into the driveway and saw Peter Russo standing next to an SUV with the driver's door ajar. Russo, a former president of the Sebring Lions Club, had sustained a traumatic brain injury at 24 when he was shot. He was deaf in his left ear and blind in his right eye, family said. When Russo turned Deputy Ritenour saw that Russo was holding a knife and a gun. Ritenour said Russo began coming toward him despite Ritenour's shouted commands. Russo then began to raise the gun, and Ritenour fired six shots killing Russo.