PALM COAST, Fla. – The man accused of targeting his mother and a Flagler County sheriff's deputy during a drive-by shooting Monday has turned himself in, the Flagler County Sheriff's Office said.
Philip Joseph Haire Jr., 19, turned himself in to the Putnam County Sheriff's Office just before 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, officials said.
Deputies said Sgt. Phil Reynolds, a veteran of the force, was responding to a call from parents who claimed their son was making threats to them along the 10 block of London Drive in Palm Coast on Monday.
Sheriff Rick Staly said the parents told investigators that they had kicked Haire out of the house recently after they discovered he was using drugs. They said he called them Monday threatening violence.
"Now he’s calling, cussing my mom out, saying he’s gonna pull up here and shoot us, so we need somebody here, because I don’t know what’s gonna happen," a family member told a 911 operator before the shooting.
Staly said as Reynolds was standing in the doorway of the home, Haire returned, drove by and shot out of his car window.
"The mother in this case is in a wheelchair, and (Reynolds) was trying to protect her and trying to get her under cover," Staly said.
He said Haire had waited around the corner, likely gathering up his nerve, before opening fire at his family and the deputy.
At least a dozen shell casings were found at the scene. Reynolds did not return fire because there were children in the street, but Haire's father did get a gun and fire it at his son during the incident.
“The father actually endangered more people by doing that,” Staly said.
The sheriff commended his deputy while issuing a stern warning to any potential criminals.
“Sgt. Reynolds did a phenomenal job, but if you point a gun at our deputies or you shoot at us, expect to get shot,” Staly said.
After the initial barrage of gunfire, Haire turned his car around, hit a pole while making a U-turn, and came back around and again opened fire.
No one was injured, but Staly said the Haire damaged the car, which belongs to one of his friends, while trying to get away. That's when he said Haire stole a driver's car at gunpoint along U.S. 1 near Old King's Highway.
The victim in that case was a good Samaritan who thought Haire's vehicle was disabled and tried to help, Staly said.
Deputies arrested Derek Hall in Putnam County after receiving a tip that Haire could be on his way to see him. Haire was not found at that location, but Hall was in possession of a stolen M4 rifle, officials said.
Staly said Haire is a documented gang member and was considered armed and dangerous. He's been arrested in the past on aggravated assault, domestic violence and marijuana possession charges.
Haire has also been the victim of a shooting, deputies said. Details on that incident were not available.
“If he wouldn’t be in gangs, if he wouldn’t deal drugs and if he wouldn’t be around guns and own guns, he probably wouldn’t have gotten shot two years ago,” Staly said.
Staly described Haire as coming from a "dysfunctional" family. Since 2013, there have been 45 calls to service to the house where the shooting happened Monday evening. Those calls ranged included harassing phone calls, narcotic complaints, warrant service and domestic violence, Staly said.
“It’s kind of unusual that in roughly three years in couple months, that you go to the same house 45 times. That’s a problem house," Staly said. "That neighborhood has been putting up with a lot from that house and it’s going to stop now.”
Family members said Haire suffers from mental illness and needs professional help.
Kathleen West, a resident of the neighborhood, said the recent policy activity in the area is scary.
West said she would often see Haire and his friends hanging out in the neighborhood, and she would avoid them.
"It was just very intimidating," she said. "I would avoid driving by here, and I would go to another street to get out of the neighborhood."
Haire is schedule to be sent to the Flagler County Inmate Facility Wednesday.
“This is the result of hard work by every member of Flagler County Sheriff’s Office and our neighboring sheriff’s offices and law enforcement agencies, specifically Putnam County Sheriff’s Office,” Staly said. “We followed every lead and put significant pressure on his known associates. Because of this, the suspect decided it was in his best interest to turn himself in to Putnam Sheriff’s Office. This is the best possible outcome.”