BROOKSVILLE, Fla. - A suspect is in custody following a multi-county pursuit Monday morning that ended when an undercover deputy tackled the man inside a Hernando County Walmart customer service area.
Hernando County deputy tackle
What we know:
A chaotic chain of events began Monday morning when the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office alerted neighboring deputies in Hernando County to an altercation at a Publix near Highway 98 and US 19 where shots were potentially fired.
A 911 caller reported that the suspect said, "You better call the cops. I'm crazy."
According to the Hernando County Sheriff's Office, around 8:05 a.m., a sergeant spotted the suspect's vehicle and attempted a traffic stop, but the driver sped away, prompting deputies to break off the initial pursuit.
An undercover Hernando County deputy in an unmarked car reportedly tracked the vehicle to a Walmart parking lot. Before the deputy could approach, Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis said the driver pulled up to the front of the store, placed two guns on top of the car and ran inside while children were nearby.
"The deputy pursued quickly because we were unsure if he was still armed," Nienhuis said. "The deputy got to about the customer service area. He actually tackled the suspect and took the suspect into custody. Fortunately, the suspect was not armed. He was carrying a Bible. It appears as though there’s some mental health issues, and after we had the person in custody, we did find out that, apparently, Citrus, through their investigation, they had a lot going on around the same time, did have sufficient evidence to charge this individual with aggravated assault with a firearm".
Nienhuis noted that crime and mental health often go hand in hand, but emphasized that his agency is holding the individual accountable.
The sheriff added that the suspect has calmed down considerably while in custody, and authorities stated there is no further danger to the public.
Multi-county sheriff investigation
What we don't know:
Officials have not yet released the suspect's identity or detailed what sparked the initial altercation at the Citrus County Publix.
It remains unconfirmed what specific charges, if any, the state attorney's office will file regarding the weapons left exposed on the vehicle.
However, Nienhuis said the suspect will likely be charged in Hernando County with fleeing and eluding a marked law enforcement vehicle.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis, who explained the details of the pursuit and arrest in an official statement, as well as the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office.