Woman found dead after Citrus County hostage situation; armed man surrenders after hours-long standoff: CCSO

HOMOSASSA SPRINGS, Fla. - An armed man is in custody after deputies say he shot and killed a woman during a hostage situation at a Citrus County home on Friday. 

What we know:

CCSO says deputies responded to a report of a domestic disturbance with gunfire around 9 a.m. Friday at a home on S. Palmer Ave. in Homosassa Springs.

Sheriff David Vincent says more gunshots were heard when deputies arrived, and they secured the area to keep nearby residents safe.

Officials say a juvenile boy who had been inside the home when shots were first fired was able to escape to a nearby home. Deputies say he provided critical information to help authorities secure the perimeter around the home. 

Investigators said they also learned Michael Lee McClellan, 37, was the armed man inside the home. They also learned he possible had shot and injured a woman, who was still being held hostage when deputies arrived. 

That's when SWAT and Crisis Negotiation teams were deployed along with support from Marion County's SWAT team. Negotiators were able to maintain communication with McClellan, and several hours later, brought the situation to a peaceful end, according to Vincent.

Dig deeper:

Authorities say McClellan surrendered at around 1:15 p.m. Once the scene was secure, SWAT members went inside the home and found the woman dead, according to officials. 

What they're saying:

"This was an emotional and dangerous situation from the start," said Vincent. "Our teams remained calm, focused, and worked tenaciously to prevent further loss of life. While we're grateful the situation didn't escalate further, we're saddened by the tragic outcome. Our hearts go out to the family of the victim."

CCSO also thanks Citrus County Fire Recue for responding to treat minor heat-related issues among the sheriff's office's team while at the scene. They also thanked Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods and MCSO's SWAT team for help during the incident.