News

Actions

Man killed by Pasco deputies wanted 'suicide by cop,' charged at deputies with knife

Posted at 4:26 AM, Oct 17, 2016
and last updated 2016-10-18 05:48:32-04

A domestic dispute in Holiday turned deadly on Sunday night when the Pasco County Sheriff's Office responded to reports of a man with a gun, arguing with his pregnant girlfriend. 

The incident took place in the 5200 block of Blue Jay Drive in Holiday late Sunday night. 

Deputies say around 7 p.m.,  a neighbor heard arguing from the couple inside of the home. The neighbor told deputies that he saw the suspect spit on the pregnant victim. 

Around 7:30 p.m. the neighbor heard more arguing and heard the suspect yell "call the cops, I have a gun."

The suspect was armed with a knife, he made statements that he had a gun, he said he would not be arrested and police would have to kill him. 

Around 9:03 p.m. Pasco County sheriff's office arrived on scene.

Deputies evacuated several neighbors in the area to make sure everyone was safe in surrounding homes. 

Deputies, along with SWAT team members, spent 2 hours trying to get the suspect to come out peacefully. After 2 hours, negotiations broke down and the suspect stopped communicating with officials. Deputies used tear gas, flash bangs and a robot to try to get him to come out. 

SWAT members ultimately forced entry into the home and found the suspect in the bathroom with a knife in his hand. They told him to put the knife down but he refused, so they tased him but it was ineffective. He eventually charged deputies with the knife and deputies shot him. 

Medics responded and tried to save his life. The suspect died on scene.

The victim told deputies that the man had been drinking all day and he may have been on prescription pills. 

"He wanted to die out there. He made the statements he was going to die by cop," said Sheriff Nocco.

Sheriff Nocco says the suspect had a criminal history. Starting in 1998 he was arrested for multiple things, including possession of drugs, battery, public intoxication, disorderly conduct, violation of probation for domestic, felony for domestic battery and grand theft recently. 

The identity of the suspect has not been released because next of kin has not been notified.