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Woman killed by deputy identified
By Times staff writer TAMPA -- A Riverview woman who was shot and killed after threatening suicide and pointing her gun at deputies has been identified as 49-year-old Margaret Marko, officials said. Marko, of 11107 Shady Lane, was shot about 9 p.m. Sunday after a one-hour standoff with Hillsborough deputies, sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said. Marko was troubled by a domestic situation and had said she wanted to die, Carter said. She reportedly fired several shots from her handgun before deputies arrived shortly after 8 p.m. Despite repeated requests by deputies, Marko refused to put down her gun, Carter said, saying she wanted deputies to kill her. As deputies stood inside her home, Marko began walking from a patio toward an open back door, pointing her gun at deputies, Carter said. Deputy Duane Benton fired one round from a 12-gauge shotgun, striking Marko in the chest. Marko was pronounced dead at the scene. Benton, 34, has been a member of the sheriff's Emergency Response Team, a tactical unit, for four years. He was at the home as part of that team, Carter said. Benton is on paid administrative leave pending an investigation of the shooting, which is standard procedure, Carter said. Marko's family declined to comment.
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