Amber Alert suspect hospitalized after deputy-involved shooting: Sheriff
MARION COUNTY, Fla. - A suspect named in a Marion County AMBER Alert was hospitalized Monday evening after deputies attempted to stop his vehicle and shots were fired during the encounter, according to the Marion County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies said they located the suspect's vehicle around 5:20 p.m. and attempted a traffic stop, though authorities did not say whether the suspect was injured from gunfire.
The backstory:
The driver, identified as Jason Castillo, allegedly refused to stop and led deputies on a pursuit.
Authorities said deputies used a Precision Immobilization Technique, or PIT maneuver, disabling Castillo's vehicle on U.S. Highway 441 near County Road 25A.
As deputies attempted to take Castillo into custody, shots were fired, and Castillo was transported to a hospital for treatment, the sheriff's office said. Authorities have not released details about who fired the shots or Castillo's condition.
All southbound lanes of U.S. Highway 441 near the scene remained closed Monday evening as investigators processed the area. Motorists were urged to avoid the area and use alternate routes.
Castillo had been identified earlier Monday as the suspect in a Florida AMBER Alert issued by the Marion County Sheriff's Office.
The 13-year-old girl at the center of the alert was found safe within about an hour of the AMBER Alert being issued, and the alert has since been canceled.
The investigation remains active.
When are AMBER Alerts issued?
Dig deeper:
There are specific requirements that need to be met before an AMBER Alert is issued.
- There is reasonable belief by law enforcement that an abduction has occurred.
- The law enforcement agency believes that the child is in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death.
- There is enough descriptive information about the victim and the abduction for law enforcement to issue an AMBER Alert to assist in the recovery of the child.
- The abduction is of a child aged 17 years or younger.
- The child’s name and other critical data elements, including the Child Abduction flag, have been entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) system.
The Source: The information is from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), Marion County Sheriff's Office (MCSO), and the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs.