Family members of the popular creator posted a notice to his followers on Instagram, and said his death took place while traveling in Texas. He was 36.
MEDINA COUNTY, Texas — Michael Duarte, a popular food and barbecue content creator known online as “FoodWithBearHands,” died Nov. 8 after being shot twice by Medina County Sheriff’s deputies Saturday.
Medina County confirmed that deputies responded to a call in the 1500 block of Houston Street in Castroville for man acting erratically with a knife. They say he was threatening and charging at deputies.
According to a press release, a Medina County deputy encountered a man later identified as Duarte “making threats to kill everyone.” He reportedly attempted to assault Fire and EMS personnel who had responded to the scene as the deputy arrived. The release says he was given multiple verbal commands to get on the ground, but Duarte charged toward the deputy while yelling,“I’m going to kill you.” The deputy then fired two rounds at Duarte, hitting him.
Duarte was taken to University Hospital in San Antonio where he was pronounced dead, according to Medina County officials.
Family members posted a notice to his followers on Instagram, and said his death took place while traveling in Texas. He was 36.
Duarte’s talent agency, Alooma Media Group, confirmed his death in a statement posted to Instagram on Saturday.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our valued client and dear friend, Michael Duarte,” the agency wrote. “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.”
The California-based content creator had amassed more than 2 million combined followers across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube, where he shared cooking videos and recipes focused on grilled meats and barbecue.
Duarte’s death occurred just three days after he and his wife, Jessica, celebrated their ninth wedding anniversary, according to a fundraising campaign established by a family friend. He is survived by his wife and 6-year-old daughter, Oakley.
Alooma Media Group described Duarte 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 agency said. “Michael’s passing is a tremendous loss to all who knew him.”
The Texas Rangers are leading the investigation into his death.