Police have shared new details about the death of California-based influencer Michael Duarte, who died on Nov. 8.
The creator — known online under the handle “FoodWithBearHands” — was shot by police and was later pronounced dead at the hospital, a spokesperson for the Medina County Sheriff’s Office told TMZ.
Deputies responded to a 911 call in Castroville, Texas, for a disturbance involving a “male subject with a knife acting erratically,” and a deputy discharged two rounds from her duty weapon, striking Duarte, the outlet reported.
PEOPLE has reached out to Medina County Sheriff’s Office for comment.
Duarte maintained a combined following of over 2 million on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube, where he shared cooking videos and recipes of his grilling and BBQ creations. His Instagram bio read “my purpose is to share to the world food to people who need it the most.”
In a GoFundMe established to financially support his family, it was previously reported that Duarte died in a “horrible accident” while traveling in Texas.
“We ask that you lift Michael’s family up in prayer during this extremely difficult time,” the fundraiser’s description read. “This heartbreak came without warning, leaving Jessica to incur the expense of bringing him back home to California and covering funeral expenses.”
Duarte was raised in Calipatria, Calif., a small city near the U.S.-Mexico border. At 14, he started working at a small Mexican restaurant owned by his uncle — whom he called a “mentor” in an Instagram post — where he first learned to cook.
As a young adult, Duarte worked in several restaurants in the San Diego area and went to rehab around the time of the COVID-19 pandemic after experiencing a “mental health crisis,” he shared on Instagram. Out of rehab, he started a new restaurant job and began to post videos online, growing a following for his cooking content.
Michael Duarte/Instagram
“My first one was with my daughter,” he wrote. “That’s when I realized how happy creating content made me. Over time, I began to see it wasn’t just a hobby — it could be a business, something bigger than myself.”
The news of his death was first shared on Nov. 9 by Alooma Media Group, his talent agency, in a post on Instagram.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our valued client and dear friend, Michael Duarte,” the talent agency wrote. “He was a true & loyal partner, a trusted collaborator, and above all, a remarkable person. His passion, professionalism, and creativity left a lasting mark not only on our team but on everyone who had the privilege of working with him.”
In their tribute, Alooma described the late internet star as a “devoted husband to his wife Jessica, a loving father to his daughter, brother and a loyal friend to so many around the world.”
“His warmth, kindness, and generosity were felt in every interaction, and he had a way of making everyone around him feel valued and inspired,” the post continued. “Michael’s passing is a tremendous loss to all who knew him. His legacy of integrity, compassion, and dedication will continue to live on through the lives he touched.”