A neighbor of the property the place meals influencer Michael Duarte’s had been staying previous to his demise is sharing extra perception into what she claims have been the ultimate moments earlier than he was shot by police.
“It was a drawn-out incident that occurred over a number of hours,” the neighbor, who requested to stay nameless, solely tells Us Weekly of the “unlucky and surprising” occasion that led to Duarte’s demise on November 8.
In response to the neighbor, Duarte — recognized on-line as FoodWithBearHands — had obtained permission to remain on the property from a gaggle of individuals renting a house in Castroville, Texas. He was not staying inside, however reasonably in a tenting tent exterior.
“So he wasn’t staying with the group they usually didn’t know one another personally, though they have been all apparently a part of the enterprise occasion,” the neighbor says.
In response to reviews, Duarte was on the town for the Texas Open Fireplace Meat Up, a barbecue competition scheduled for Nov. 8.
It’s the girl’s understanding that Duarte had been touring with one other man, who was involved about him. Nevertheless, it’s unknown if the person obtained the police concerned.
The neighbor additionally claims {that a} essential digicam on the property, which sits on three acres, confirmed folks strolling towards the house from the road. At one level throughout his keep, Duarte was seen on the digicam trying “matted,” based on the girl.
The taking pictures incident occurred on the road, the girl claims. It’s her understanding that Duarte “knowledgeable or threatened that he had a weapon and deliberate to make use of it,” though she doesn’t know what kind of weapon.
A number of reviews indicated the meals influencer allegedly threatened an officer with a knife.
And there have been “indicators of blood on property away from the taking pictures space,” the neighbor claims. Moreover, she claims that “there was blood discovered within the tenting tent,” and inside have been two sleeping luggage.
In the meantime, Bianca Haseloff, an area realtor, tells Us she was exhibiting an empty lot to a shopper close by after they heard a male scream and what “appeared like two gunshots.”
“After we have been speaking, we heard somebody screaming, like actually loudly, they usually sounded fairly erratic,” Haseloff claims to Us. “I heard a male screaming [something] like, ‘Somebody wants to come back get me! Somebody must get me out of right here!”
Haseloff provides, “It appeared like somebody was screaming, like, ‘Cease! Or put that down!’ However there was similar to loads of screaming .”
Earlier than she heard gunshots, Haseloff claims she heard a person “screaming actually loudly, and he did sound very offended, and I clearly heard him say, ‘Somebody wants to select me up or get me out of right here’ a number of occasions.”
Us has reached out to police and rangers on the Medina County Sheriff’s Workplace for remark.
A spokesperson for the Medina County Sheriff’s Workplace advised TMZ on Wednesday, November 12, that Duarte was shot by police in Castroville after officers responded to a 911 name. The sheriff’s workplace advised the outlet that police obtained a name a couple of “male topic with a knife performing erratically,” who was later recognized as Duarte.
As soon as officers arrived on the scene, Duarte reportedly approached a responding deputy in an allegedly threatening method. After “a number of verbal instructions” got to the meals influencer to “get on the bottom,” he allegedly “charged” the deputy.
The spokesperson claims that Duarte yelled, “I’m going to kill you,” as he moved towards one of many officers, which is when the deputy fired two rounds from their weapon and struck him.
Duarte was reportedly given medical assist on scene. He was then transported to College Hospital in San Antonio, Texas, the place he was pronounced useless.
Information of Duarte’s demise broke on Wednesday after a GoFundMe web page was set as much as cowl funeral prices and help his household, together with spouse Jessica and their 6-year-old daughter, Oakley.
“The world might know him as ‘FoodwithBearHands,’ however to us, he was a loving husband, father, brother and a terrific good friend to many,” the web page stated after revealing that Duarte, who amassed greater than 2 million followers on social media for his meals movies, had died in a “horrible accident.”
“This heartbreak got here with out warning, leaving Jessica to incur the expense of bringing him again residence to California and overlaying funeral bills,” the outline continued. “Throughout this time, and within the months/years forward, we wish to be sure that Jessica and Oakley are taken care of as Michael would have wished them to be. Your help would convey consolation, stability and a reminder that they aren’t carrying this weight alone.”

