Poinciana standoff ends after SWAT team shoots man who shot at deputy, Polk County sheriff says

POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A Polk County SWAT team shot and injured a man who fired his gun at his wife and a sheriff’s deputy Monday.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said a deputy was responding to a call by a mental health professional at a home in the area of St. Cloud Road and Caspian Road.

As the deputy was speaking to the man’s wife, the Polk County sheriff said the man came out of his garage and fired at both the woman and the deputy, then retreated back into the garage.

The deputy called for help, which brought out several law enforcement agencies, including Haines City police, a Florida Highway Patrol trooper, and a SWAT team from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

Judd said they tried several things to get the man to come out, including a crisis negotiator, a message from a family member, and then chemical agents.

“We tried beanbags and when we tried beanbags, then he turned and pointed the gun at our SWAT team. That didn’t work so well for how we immediately shot him,” Judd said.

The man was taken to a nearby trauma center in extremely critical condition. He’s undergoing surgery.

The deputy and the wife were not hurt.

Judd said an officer-involved shooting task force is looking into the case, and the deputies involved will be put on administrative leave.

“This is a clear indication of how mental health issues can turn into a crisis,” Judd said. “And a mental health crisis can turn into someone trying to kill my deputies and in this instance, tried to kill his wife.”