Manatee County deputies open fire on man accused of pulling firearm from waistband while disobeying commands

PARRISH, Fla. - A Parrish man is in the hospital after deputies say they shot him when he pulled a firearm from his waistband, disobeying their commands. 

According to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, deputies went to a domestic disturbance call in the 13000 block of Shimmering Amethyst Ct., in Parrish around 10 p.m. on Monday. 

The backstory:

When they arrived, they talked with the suspect's wife, who said Hayden Firth, 29, had been drinking throughout the day before they got into an argument. She then said she was concerned that he might harm himself after seeing him grab a gun and head outside.

During this conversation, deputies saw Firth come around the side of the house, and he disobeyed their commands several times before saying at one point, "It's just gonna be suicide by cop," according to the sheriff's office.

Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells said as one deputy told Firth she was going to tase him, he pulled his gun. 

"He says he doesn’t care, ‘you’re going to have to kill me.’ He then pulls a 45 semi-automatic handgun from his waist band. As he’s turning towards the deputies, points it at the deputies and my deputies fire," said Wells. 

The encounter ended with Firth pulling a semi-automatic handgun from his waistband and that is when deputies said they fired multiple rounds at him, striking him three times. Firth was hit in the abdomen, the right arm and the left arm.

Wells says that his deputies then stepped into action and saved Firth's life. No deputies were injured during the incident. 

"I think the training that they receive. The constant training. We just went through some shoot house training and also first aid trauma-related training. Those deputies were spot on when it came to applying the torniquets, applying the pad to the open wound. They did everything to save his life, and they did," said Wells. 

What they're saying:

"This is a dangerous job and these men and women understand that. They take on this responsibility each and every day, and you never know what is going to happen," Wells said.

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The suspect was taken to the hospital and was in critical but stable condition as of 1 p.m. on Tuesday.

The three deputies involved in the incident are on administrative leave, per standard agency policy during officer-involved shooting investigations.

Wells said charges are pending for Firth.

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