VSO Deputies Disarm Armed Man Setting Fire in Street

Deputies with the Volusia Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday disarmed a Deltona man who was armed and setting fires in the street, the agency said on Monday. The incident occurred overnight between Sunday and Monday. A call was placed to the VSO about the disturbance occurring on Patron Avenue in Deltona. When deputies responded, they found the subject appearing to be setting things on fire in the road, armed with multiple guns and wearing a bulletproof vest.  After forming a perimeter around the man, deputies began to communicate with him. The man reportedly made statements to deputies indicating he may try and provoke deputies into shooting him. ‘Suicide by cop’ refers to a method of ending one’s own life by attempting to force law enforcement to use lethal methods to stop an ongoing crisis. “I’m trying to help you buddy,” one deputy could be heard saying to the man via bodycam footage. “I am trying to help you, I see you’re in distress. I’m willing to help you, buddy.” The VSO deployed a helicopter, drone, and more deputies from nearby to bolster the response efforts. The man told a deputy that he was a veteran of the armed services, something the deputy tried to use to relate to him personally. Repeated attempts to get the man to walk to the middle of the road in a well-lit area appeared unsuccessful. As the standoff continued, deputies were able to get the man to lay down his rifle and take off his vest. An hour in, it appeared he might be ready to surrender. Just then, he reportedly became agitated again and started moving back toward his weapons. Another deputy loaded up 40mm less-lethal ammunition rounds and fired them at the man, providing time to subdue him and place him in custody. Deputies found a rifle, a shotgun, two handguns, and a taser. All but the handguns had been on the man’s person during the standoff. A Risk Protection Order was carried out and the VSO took possession of the firearms and ammunition. The man was placed under protective custody under the Baker Act and hospitalized for further treatment. Less lethal shotguns are tools manufactured for law enforcement to use rubber ammunition that is less damaging than other firearms. They’re designed for usage in situations of riot control or subduing targets whose situations do not warrant lethal force. According to the VSO, no one was seriously injured in the tense standoff. The identity of the subject was not released in an initial report by the VSO.