A Fountain Hills man was shot and killed by a Maricopa County Sheriff’s lieutenant early Sunday morning as he attempted to get the officer’s gun.

According to a Sheriff’s spokesman, David Brandstetter, 26, was fatally shot July 13 as he attacked the lieutenant in his MCSO vehicle.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio said Brandstetter was naked at about 12:45 a.m. while walking in traffic in the 17400 block of El Pueblo Boulevard, causing drivers to swerve to avoid hitting him and prompting two 911 calls, as well as a traffic accident.

When Sheriff’s Watch Commander Lt. Markley Johnson, a 29-year-MCSO employee, was one of the deputies responding to the 911 calls, he found Brandstetter walking naked on El Pueblo Blvd. about a quarter mile from his residence and he appeared to be acting erratically.

When Johnson stopped to investigate, Arpaio says, Brandstetter opened the lieutenant’s patrol car door, jumped on top of Johnson, attacked him, punched him and demanded that the officer give him his service weapon.

When Brandstetter tried to forcibly take the lieutenant’s weapon, Markley shot him. Paramedics responded but Brandstetter was dead at the scene.

Sheriff’s investigators say the suspect was married, had three children and was employed as an air conditioning technician. He was released from the military slightly over a year ago. He was a U.S. Army veteran.

“Something may have caused this young man to take leave of his senses,” Arpaio says. “It’s a sad situation all around. But regardless of the reason, the suspect’s actions left no alternative for my officer.”

A motorist traveling on El Pueblo Boulevard prior to the shooting reported seeing a naked man in the street and he stopped to check on him.

That driver reported the man attempted to get into their vehicle so they fled the area. In the process of trying to turn around they struck a concrete mailbox structure.

Neither the driver nor the passenger was injured.

According to MCSO spokesman Deputy Joaquin Enriquez Johnson returned to work on Tuesday following paid administrative leave.

The Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation into the shooting. An internal investigation and review board will look into the incident.