Armed BBQ influencer Michael Duarte killed while lunging at deputy

Nov. 12 (UPI) — Food influencer Michael Duarte lunged at a Texas sheriff’s deputy while armed with a knife and died when an officer shot him while responding to a complaint in Castroville.

Castroville police responded to a 911 call at 11:30 a.m. CST Saturday of a report of a man with a knife causing a disturbance, KSAT reported.

A Medina County Sheriff’s deputy also responded to back up the local police as Duarte, 39, was armed with a knife and repeatedly threatening to “kill everyone.”

The sheriff’s office said the deputy ordered Duarte several times to go to the ground, but he did not comply, according to TMZ.

Instead, he yelled, “I’m going to kill you,” at the deputy and lunged at her with the knife.

The deputy then shot him twice, and first responders provided medical aid and transported him to University Hospital in San Antonio, where he was declared dead.

Duarte was a social media influencer who promoted his “Food with Beat hands” barbecue content on several social media channels and had more than 2.1 million followers.

His talent agency, Alooma Media Group, described Duarte as a “devoted husband to his wife Jessica, a loving father to his daughter, brotherand a loyal friend to many.

“His warmth, kindness and generosity were felt in every interaction, and he had a way of making everyone around him feel valued and inspired.”

Duarte was in Medina County while participating in the Texas Open Fire Meat Up festival in Hondo that was scheduled for Saturday.

His shooting death occurred within days of celebrating his anniversary with his wife, Jessica, to whom he had been married for nine years and fathered a daughter.

Castroville is a small town with a population of 3,201 in 2024 and is located in the southwestern portion of the Greater San Antonio Area.