CCSO: 1 dead, 4 rescued after armed suspect barricades inside Hernando home 

One person is dead and another is in custody after an armed suspected barricaded inside a home Saturday afternoon, according to the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies say around 4 p.m. they received reports of an armed suspect barricaded inside home with shots fired near the intersection of Highway 41 and Van Ness Road.

Deputies secured the area while the Citrus County Sheriff's Office Crisis Negotiation Team and SWATteam worked to remove the four people being held inside the home. Following their rescue, deputies say the victims began working with the CCSO Crisis Negotiation Team to try to talk the suspect out of the home peacefully. 

After an hour of speaking to the suspect, SWAT team members say they were able to convince the suspect to lay down the weapon and surrender to deputies, who then took the individual into custody. Deputies found one person dead on the scene. 

"Members of the Citrus County Sheriff's Office specialty teams undergo extensive training year-round to ensure they are prepared for incidents such as this one," said Sheriff Mike Prendergast. "The tireless efforts of our patrol deputies, the SWAT team, the Crisis Negotiation Team, and our partners at the Sumter County Sheriff's Office saved the lives of four innocent people today. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the victim. Our detectives will continue to work diligently to bring them justice."

The incident is under investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Citrus County Sheriff's Office at (352) 726-1121 and ask for the Major Crimes Unit.