Citrus County Sheriff's Office authorities and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement are continuing their investigation into Monday morning's fatal shooting of a suspect in Crystal River.

Deputy Todd Cridland fired the shot that killed the suspect involved in the incident.

Cridland has been with the agency since Dec. 1999, when he was hired as a dispatcher in the 911 Communications Center. In April of 2004, Cridland began his career as a deputy sheriff. According to standard operating procedure, Cridland has been placed on administrative leave without loss of pay while FDLE completes its investigation.

K-9 Mito's handler, Deputy Jim Davis, was unharmed during the incident.

K-9 Mito continues to recover from his wounds. Mito, a male German Shepherd, was born in 2004 and purchased from the Netherlands in early 2006. He is currently almost 5 years old and has been working as a police dog for the past three years.

At this time, the name of the male suspect involved in the incident is still being withheld pending positive identification and notification of next of kin.

Physical evidence collected at the scene included the suspect's fairly large fixed-blade knife (used in Mito's stabbing), plus an open pocketknife.

More information will be released as it becomes available. However, please contact FDLE regarding any questions related to the investigation into the shooting.

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