A Hillsborough County deputy fatally shot an elderly man, who was once a police officer, inside his own home Tuesday in Riverview while attempting to do a welfare check, Sheriff Chad Chronister said. Investigators say a neighbor on Longcrest Drive called first responders just before 7:30 a.m., expressing concern about the well-being of the older man, since identified by authorities as 88-year-old Ronald Ehrich, because she saw his garage door open and had not seen him in at least two days. A deputy arrived within minutes, met with the neighbor and put on latex gloves – assuming Ehrich may have suffered a medical episode and needed her help. The deputy entered the home and began searching, announcing her presence along the way. She walked upstairs, knocking on the wall as she came up and began checking bedrooms, Chronister said. While upstairs, Chronister said the deputy heard a gentleman's voice indicating he was home and armed with a firearm. Investigators say the deputy told Ehrich she was there to help and tried to deescalate the situation. Ehrich then opened a door and could be seen armed with a handgun, authorities said. At that point, investigators say the deputy began to retreat while continuing to announce who she was. According to Chronister, the body camera footage shows she use her flashlight to try to make it abundantly clear she was a deputy in uniform. Chronister said she told Ehrich he was not in any trouble but he continued to advance toward her and eventually cornered her in a bedroom where she had no escape. "Sir, drop that gun," Chronister said the deputy told Ehrich while she held her service weapon. "I don't want to do this," the deputy can be heard saying on video. The sheriff said Ehrich advanced toward her, and she shot him. “There is no other way to describe this other than tragic,” Sheriff Chronister said. “This deputy went in to save a life, expecting to find someone experiencing a medical emergency. She made every attempt to deescalate the situation before being forced to fire her weapon for her own safety.” The Tampa Police Department confirms Ehrich was a police officer in the 1970s. Years later, he served as a security officer at a defunct bank. Authorities identified the law enforcement officer involved as Deputy Anastacia Castillo, adding that she had worked with the agency since 2015 and had no internal affairs history. She was placed on paid administrative leave, which is protocol in these situations. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement was dispatched and will lead the independent investigation into the matter, in accordance with HCSO's policy.