A food influencer with millions of followers was shot and killed by a sheriff’s deputy in Texas after he allegedly threatened people with a knife. Michael Duarte, 36, known online as 'FoodWithBearHands', died on November 8 in Medina County.
Deputies responded to a 911 call reporting a man threatening people with a knife. According to an incident report, Duarte was exhibiting erratic behaviour and making threats to kill everyone. The deputy gave multiple verbal commands for Duarte to get on the ground, but he charged toward the deputy yelling 'I’m going to kill you'. The deputy fired two rounds, striking Duarte.
Duarte’s family described his death as a 'horrible accident' and set up a GoFundMe to support his wife Jessica and their six-year-old daughter Oakley. He had just celebrated his ninth wedding anniversary. His talent agency, Alooma Media Group, confirmed his death in a statement, praising his passion and creativity.
Duarte grew up in California and began cooking with his uncle who owned a Mexican restaurant. He later worked as a cook in San Diego before building a social media brand during the Covid-19 pandemic. His Instagram bio stated his purpose was to share food with people who needed it most.
