Beloved food influencer Michael Duarte was gunned down by a Texas sheriff’s deputy after allegedly threatening “to kill everyone” with a knife during an unhinged altercation over the weekend.

Duarte, 36, was killed by two shots from a Medina County sheriff’s deputy gun in Castroville around 11:30 a.m. Saturday, when officers responded to a 911 call about a “male subject with a knife acting erratically,” police told The Post.

When officers arrived, they allegedly found Duarte out of control and dangerous.

“Duarte was exhibiting erratic behavior and making threats to kill everyone,” the Medina County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

“He was attempting to assault Fire and EMS personnel who had responded to the scene as the deputy pulled up,” police added.

Officers allegedly told Duarte to drop his knife and get on the ground, but he refused and allegedly attempted to attack instead – forcing police to open fire.

“Duarte charged toward the Deputy while yelling, ‘I’m going to kill you.’ The Deputy discharged two rounds from her duty weapon,” police said.

He was treated at the scene, but was pronounced dead at a San Antonio hospital after transport.

TMZ first reported the cause of death, with his family and talent management only disclosing Sunday that he’d been killed in a “horrible accident” while traveling in Texas with his family, just three days after celebrating his ninth wedding anniversary with his wife, Jessica. 

The chef commanded a following of 2 million across social media, where he posted videos showing off his creative and eclectic barbeque recipes and methods under his “FoodWithBearHands” handle.

He is survived by his wife and 6-year-old daughter, Oakley.

Exactly what led to the violent incident remains unclear.

But Duarte wasn’t shy about past mental health struggles, telling followers on social media how he suffered a breakdown during the Covid-19 pandemic that forced him to seek psychiatric treatment.

“Looking back, I know that breakdown came from feeling like I had failed at life. The shutdown hit me hard and took a big toll on my confidence,” he wrote.

Duarte began posting cooking videos while he was recovering from the breakdown, with his jokester personality and humor sending the mouthwatering videos viral.

He was raised by a single mother in Calipatria, California, and was taught to cook as a boy by an uncle who owned a Mexican restaurant. His mother died of breast cancer when he was 21.

Duarte and his wife lived in San Diego.

“It’s been 24 hours since my world came crashing down. I’m numb, angry, depressed. Words can’t describe this kind of pain. I never thought I would be writing this,” Jessica wrote on Instagram.

“To the world you were foodwithbearhands but to us you were a loving husband and father. You didn’t deserve this. I will love you forever and I will be strong for our daughter and I know how much you loved us,” she continued.

“If everyone can stop and please pray for our family. To my husband I will miss you…until we meet again.”