A Lane County Sheriff's deputy responding to a call to assist with a combative male shot and killed the man just before midnight Thursday after he raised a realistic-looking pellet gun and moved toward the deputy, according to the sheriff's office.

Family members told the Eugene-Springfield Fire Department the man was extremely intoxicated, combative and needed to go to the hospital, according to a news release.

As deputies were on their way to the residence in the 88400 block of Fisher Road they were told the man had previously been arrested for menacing with a knife, the sheriff's office said.

Deputies arrived and contacted the man, who "was holding what appeared to be a firearm in one of his hands," the release said. A deputy told the man multiple times to drop the weapon, but he raised his weapon and moved toward the deputy, who fired his firearm, striking the man, officials said.

Deputies began life-saving measures, but the man died.

The weapon he had raised was determined to be "a realistic-looking pellet gun designed to look like a handgun," officials said.

The deputy involved has been placed on traumatic leave. The Lane County Interagency Deadly Force Investigation Team, overseen by the Lane County District Attorney's Office, has taken over a use of force investigation.

Makenzie Elliott covers breaking news and public safety for The Register-Guard. Reach her at MElliott@gannett.com. Find her on Twitter at @makenzielliott.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Man shot and killed by Lane County Sheriff's deputy pellet gun