Armed man killed after opening fire on Florida deputies during SWAT standoff: OCSO
Courtesy: Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office
CRESTVIEW, Fla. - An armed 29-year-old man was killed after he fired shots at deputies who were trying to serve warrants at his Crestview home Saturday morning, according to the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.
What we know:
The incident happened around 5 a.m. at a home on Alabama Street near Richburg Middle School, OCSO said.
The suspect was identified as Antonio Haner, 29, according to the sheriff's office.
Deputies went to the home to serve a search warrant, an arrest warrant and a risk protection order, OCSO said.
The sheriff's office said Haner had shown concerning behavior in the past and had previously been issued a risk protection order.
In recent weeks, investigators said Haner had come out of his home armed with a rifle and fired several rounds. The incident resulted in alleged violations of state law, including discharging a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school and discharging a firearm in a residential neighborhood.
Deadly Florida SWAT standoff
Dig deeper:
When an OCSO SWAT team tried to serve the warrants Saturday morning, Haner refused to leave the home and surrender, according to authorities.
The sheriff's office said Haner then began firing multiple rounds at deputies.
No deputies or other officers were injured. Several law enforcement assets and nearby properties, including a home and school property, were hit by gunfire, OCSO said.
Law enforcement used what Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden described as "SWAT tactics" to neutralize the threat. Haner was pronounced dead at the scene.
"We never fired the first shot, we were able to neutralize him with these SWAT tactics," Aden said. "At the end of the day, he chose to arm himself and fire on our officers. And when you do that, you're going to end up dead."
Aden also thanked the Escambia County Sheriff's Office for sending its Special Response Team to help during the standoff.
FDLE investigation
What's next:
At the request of OCSO, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is conducting an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Courtesy: Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office
OCSO has not released body camera or surveillance video from the encounter. The sheriff's office said footage is undergoing legal review and required redactions before public release.
The sheriff's office said the investigation remains ongoing, and it will provide additional information when it becomes available.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office.