'It's unfortunate': Woman dies after shootout with police in Florida

A shootout erupted in a Palm Bay neighborhood after officers responded to the area on Monday afternoon, according to the police department. In a release, police said they responded to a “disturbance” where shots were fired near Jupiter Boulevard and Serenade Street shortly before 4 p.m. Per investigators, the suspect was a 54-year-old woman inside a home along Serenade Street. Police Chief Mariano Augello said that the woman fired shots from the home and, at one point, toward responding officers, though officers didn’t immediately return fire. “A person has barricaded themselves inside of a residence,” police announced at the time. “Our SWAT and Crisis Negotiations Team are on scene, and we urge citizens to stay out of the area.” Shortly after 6 p.m., police said, SWAT and crisis negotiators managed to make contact with the gunwoman, though even more shots were fired toward SWAT during the negotiations. By around 7 p.m., the woman fired again, and officers fired back in response, Augello explained. After heading inside, police found her body in the home. However, Augello said it’s still unclear whether she shot herself or was struck by police. Police also told News 6 that no one else was struck in the shooting. Meanwhile, Augello added that nearby residents were originally evacuated and prevented from coming home for hours during the standoff, though they have since been allowed to return. Due to the nature of the officer-involved shooting, the FDLE is now taking over the investigation.