On 03-24-20 at approximately 6:30 p.m., Hernando County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a residence on Satinleaf Run in Brooksville (Sherman Hills subdivision) regarding a person making suicidal statements.
Upon arrival, deputies met with family members who were in the driveway. Family members told deputies the male in the residence had made both suicidal and homicidal statements. Family members also confirmed the male had a 12 gauge shotgun and a toddler in the residence with him.
Deputies directed family members to relocate to a safe area at the other end of the street.
Numerous deputies responded to the scene to maintain a perimeter around the residence in question, evacuate people in neighboring residences, close roads, etc.
Deputies on scene attempted, via public address system (PA), to have the male exit the residence. All attempts were met with negative results.
The SWAT and Crisis Response Teams were both dispatched to the scene.
As deputies attempted to negotiate with the male inside the residence, other deputies interviewed family members.
Family members told deputies the male arrived home around 2 p.m. and began drinking alcoholic beverages. The male told family members that he quit his job as a result of his boss cutting his hours due to the Coronavirus.
As the male became more intoxicated, he started an argument with family members, stating something to the effect of – you better leave or I’ll choke you and kill you. A family member attempted to get the two toddlers and leave the residence quickly. Unfortunately, the male grabbed one of the toddlers and went back inside the house. At this time the male told the family member if the cops come, he would barricade himself in the residence.
Other family members arrived at the residence to try to talk with the male and to get the toddler out of the house.
A family member was able to remove the toddler from the residence; however, the male chased the family member outside and took back the toddler, before running back into the house.
The male then came just outside the front door, with the 12 gauge shotgun, and told family members that he would kill himself.
Deputies persisted their attempts to negotiate with the male in the residence, continuously meeting with negative results.
Just before 9:30 p.m., SWAT members entered the residence. The toddler was immediately rescued and taken to family members who were waiting nearby. Other SWAT members placed the suspect into custody without incident.
When SWAT members placed the male in custody, the shotgun was in close proximity to both the toddler and the male.
The male was placed under arrest and charged as follows:
– Child Neglect
– Assault.
The male was placed on a NO BOND status, as the charges were domestic in nature.
The Office of Sheriff:
The Office of the Sheriff is established by the Florida Constitution. As a constitutional officer, the Sheriff has the exclusive authority to administer his or her agency and is responsible for preserving the peace throughout the entire county, carrying out the laws of the state, the orders of Florida courts, and the ordinances of the Board of County Commissioners. The Sheriff is the chief law enforcement and correctional officer of the county.
Sheriff Al Nienhuis was initially appointed as the Sheriff of Hernando County by the Governor in January of 2011. He was then elected by the people of Hernando County in 2012, ran unopposed in 2016, and remains accountable to them.
