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Deadly deputy-involved shooting in Clearwater
Clearwater Police Chief Eric Gandy gives an update on a deadly deputy-involved shooting that happened Friday morning.
CLEARWATER, Fla. - A Clearwater woman fought off an armed home intruder and escaped before the suspect, who barricaded himself inside her home, was shot and killed by deputies, according to the Clearwater Police Department.
Violent garage assault
What we know:
Investigators said the suspect, armed with a knife, entered the woman’s garage area and assaulted her before she was able to escape to a neighbors’ home and call 911 at 6:44 a.m.
Pinellas County deputies went to the home and as they were setting up a perimeter, they reportedly saw the door to the garage close.
"From that point on, they worked this as a barricade situation, believing that the armed subject was still inside the residence," stated Clearwater Police Chief Eric Gandy. "They hailed the residence multiple times using multiple means and finally formed a contact team around 7:48 a.m."
Tactical team response
Dig deeper:
Gandy said the team surrounded the home and asked anyone inside to surrender but got no response.
They breached a sliding glass door and sent a drone inside the home but got no response.
Then the contact team went inside and cleared the home room by room.
Deadly laundry room encounter
"As they moved through a small laundry room to the garage, challenging all the way, they began to open the garage door and as they did, the suspect brandished a firearm in one hand and a flashlight in the other," Gandy said. "He raised the firearm, shouted some expletives at the deputies, they opened fire and he was pronounced deceased about 15 minutes later."
No injuries were reported to the homeowner or deputies.
Unidentified suspect
What we don't know:
The suspected home intruder has not been identified, but he is a white man believed to be between 30-40 years old.
The motive behind the armed home invasion is unclear.
It is also unknown if the suspect knew the victim.
Deputies placed on administrative leave
What's next:
Two deputies were involved in the shooting and will be placed on routine paid administrative leave as the investigation takes its course.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Clearwater Police Chief Eric Gandy, who explained the sequence of events during an official press briefing, as well as formal investigative updates provided by the Clearwater Police Department.