Law enforcement incident in Monroe County involves a TSA officer fatally shot by police
A federal law enforcement officer, identified as Lane Morgan Caviness, a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employee, died after a confrontation with police on a Wednesday evening in Monroe County, Florida. Reports indicate the incident occurred during a public debate on Cayo Largo, one of the southernmost islets near Key Largo, with Caviness reportedly armed and at times in an agitated state. At the time of the shooting, Caviness was described as off duty and not currently actively serving in a transport or frontline security capacity. The sequence of events began when authorities received a 911 call from a woman at the Key Largo Ocean Resort and subsequently responded to the scene to assess the situation (attribution: Monroe County Sheriff’s Office). The officers observed Caviness on an exterior balcony, where he initially set aside a firearm in compliance with orders but later reappeared armed with a rifle, prompting a use-of-force response by the arriving officers.
According to statements from Sheriff Rick Ramsay, the responding personnel included several officers and a detective, who, in the sheriff’s account, acted to protect bystanders and themselves. Caviness allegedly confronted the officers with the AR-15 rifle, leading to a lethal exchange of gunfire. Law enforcement officials reported that Caviness died at the scene and that fire rescue personnel were summoned shortly after the confrontation. Local media outlets, including Local 10, covered the event and the immediate aftermath, noting the rapid involvement of multiple department resources in handling the incident and securing the area (attribution: Local 10, corroborated by local law enforcement updates).
In the wake of the incident, the sheriff has requested an independent review by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) to examine the circumstances surrounding Caviness’s actions, the officers’ response, and the overall management of the call. The FDLE investigation is described as routine in such cases, aimed at ensuring transparency and accountability in the use of force by federal and local officers. As the investigation proceeds, officials emphasize the importance of a thorough, unbiased examination of all evidence and witness statements to determine whether the actions taken were appropriate given the threat level and the information available at the time (attribution: Monroe County Sheriff’s Office; FDLE notification).